Australia-European Commission Ministerial Consultations

Joint Communique

The eighteenth Ministerial Consultations between Australia and the European Commission were held in Brussels on 18 April 2002.  Australia was represented by a team of three senior Ministers comprising the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon John Anderson, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Alexander Downer, and the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, the Hon Philip Ruddock.  Commissioner Patten and Commissioners Fischler, Lamy and Vitorino represented the European side.  Australia welcomed the opportunity for enhanced dialogue noting the steps the EU was making in further integration, as evidenced by the introduction of Euro notes and coins, enlargement, institutional reform and enhancing its role in foreign and security policy and justice and home affairs.

Both sides considered it a very good meeting. The discussions were broad ranging and constructive and focused on  a number of areas, including:

-        Latest developments in the EU, including enlargement, as well as developments in the Asia Pacific region;

-         Agriculture and veterinary issues, including the bilateral negotiations on the wine agreement;

-         International trade issues, including follow-up to the WTO Ministerial meeting at Doha and steel;

-         Immigration and asylum issues, including follow up to the Bali and Lanzarote conferences; the two sides agreed to have regular consultations.

-         Global challenges, including combatting terrorism, climate change and preparations for the forthcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg;

-         An exchange of views on a range of international issues, including reconstruction in Afghanistan and current developments in the Middle East;

-         Joint co-operation initiatives, noting the significant progress made since the last consultations held in Canberra in April 2001, particularly in the fields of education, science and technology and development co-operation.

In light of the above, noting that this round of Consultations was the fifth since the signing of the 1997 Joint Declaration on Relations between the European Union and Australia, and noting the wide range of issues set out for cooperation under the Joint Declaration, both sides agreed that useful progress had been made in these areas, especially in the last year or two.  They agreed therefore that it would be useful to review progress in cooperation in light of the objectives of the 1997 Joint Declaration and instructed officials to undertake such a review as well as to identify priorities for future cooperation.  Thus both sides look forward to receiving at next year's Ministerial Consultations recommendations to advance the relationship further.