Wine industry welcomes Australia, UK FTA negotiations

Australian Grape & Wine has welcomed the Hon Simon Birmingham’s announcement that Australia and the United Kingdom (UK) will commence free trade agreement negotiations. The UK is an important market for Australian wine businesses, which have worked hard for decades to build strong relationships with British consumers and importers. The UK is one of Australia’s largest export markets by volume, at over 24 million nine-litre case equivalents and $347 million in value to March 2020.

The announcement marks the next step in the continuation of the Australian Government’s ongoing effort to boost Australian agricultural exports, as the sector works to recover from COVID-19.

“Australia’s long-standing wine-export relationship with the UK can only be strengthened by this FTA, driving opportunities for Australian grape growers and winemakers to deliver their wines to British consumers,” said Tony Battaglene, Australian Grape & Wine Chief Executive.

“We strongly support Minister Birmingham’s continued leadership of Australia’s aggressive free trade agenda. Comprehensive high-quality trade agreements have genuine long-term benefits for Australian grape and wine businesses, which do so much to support Australia’s regional economies through, employment, exports and food and wine tourism,” Battaglene said.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Subbotina Anna