LATIKA M BOURKE: France to back EU-Australia trade deal saying brutal global shifts forced the mindset change

France has dumped its concerns over beef and backed the Australia-EU trade deal, saying brutal tectonic shifts in the global order caused by Donald Trump and China had forced it to change its mindset.

France’s Trade Minister Nicolas Forissier will arrive in Australia this weekend to spruik the benefits of the trade deal agreed between EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra last month.

France has been the most powerful opponent to a trade deal among the European Union’s 27-member states, citing concerns about Australian beef imports and then the former Coalition government’s decision to renege on the submarine contract to pursue a submarine deal with the United States and UK instead.

Speaking exclusively to The Nightly from Paris, Mr Forissier said France recognised the need to change.

“We’re trying to change our mindset, we’re no longer naive, we are in a positive, constructive, pragmatic dialogue with our partners, and we want to build some strong partnerships that are win-win,” he said.

“France is very strong on this position — Europe can no longer be naive. We have to diversify our markets, our partnerships but also our supply chains.

“Because the world is moving very fast, it’s very difficult today, international trade and the economic relations between countries are moving like tectonic plates, they are moving and there are shocks.

“The movements of these tectonic plates are very, very very brutal. For example, Mr Trump and the United States and the Chinese have new ways of acting, and we have to react and be organised.

“We are in a world of intensity and force and Mr Trump, in a way, has delivered a good service to European countries because it helps us to move, to change, to have a new mindset.

“In a way, it’s very helpful because it obliges European countries to be more united, to try to find some more pragmatic solutions and also new forms of cooperation.”

He said amid this climate, AUKUS belonged in the past.

“It’s not necessary to look at the past, of course, there was some kind of deception, but you have your reasons, what is important is the future, we’re close partners,” he said in an extended interview by phone.

“We have rebuilt a serious, pragmatic and forward-looking relationship, and we have to focus on what we can achieve together for the future.

The European Parliament, plus leaders, still have to agree to the trade deal. Earlier this year, many French Members of the European Parliament voted to send a major trade deal that the EU signed with Mercosur countries in Latin America to the European Court, a vote that was seen as a symbol of opposition to the deal.

French Presidential elections are held next year, making the passage of the Australia trade deal extremely sensitive timing, with Marine Le Pen’s far-right populist party, National Rally, which is leading in the polls, opposed to any extra beef imports.

Asked if French MEPs would try to hold up the Australia deal or if it would be passed ahead of next year’s poll, Mr Forrisier, who represents the French national government, could not say.

“I don’t know if they will do that on the Australian agreement, I don’t know, I can’t tell you,” he said.

But he said that France saw the two agreements differently.

“The contingents of beef in the Australia-EU agreement are not at all the same as they were in Mercour, I think it’s much more reasonable,” he said.

“Our view is not to develop trade at any cost. What we like and what we work for is an agreement that is fair, that is based on reciprocity, that corresponds to our standards, and I think this is the case in this agreement between the EU and Australia.

“This EU agreement is very balanced for our industry and many sectors, even in agriculture, such as dairy, wine and spirits. We think it is a balanced one, it’s a good quality one, and we want to develop our relations and economic partnership.”

He said the French government was talking to cattle producers about providing compensation, but said the wider deal delivered greater benefits.

“Especially to build together more stable and secure supply lines for critical minerals and rare earths,” he said.

Trade Minister Don Farrell welcomed the development.

“Australia is pleased that France is supporting our new free trade agreement. We will work to quickly get approval for the agreement through the Australian Parliament,” he said.

“I look forward to further discussions with my French counterpart in Australia next week. Australia and France can do much more trade together in the years ahead.”

France wants critical minerals progress

France has made progressing a G7 supply chain on critical minerals a priority of the leaders’ summit that it hosts in June.

Australia and the EU signed a Memorandum of Understanding on critical minerals in 2024 but there has been little to no progress.

Mr Forrisier said this was something he wanted to fix, pointing to an investment already underway with the Japanese to produce rare earths in the southwest of France.

“I want to find a solution to that; this is one of my discussions during my visit. We have to do something,” he said.

“Why shouldn’t we do the same with Australia? For sure, we have to build things; we have many opportunities to build things together from this field.”

Bryce Wakefield, CEO of the Australian Institute for International Affairs, welcomed the change in France’s influential position.

“It’s great to see France adopting a more pragmatic stance. Australian beef imports under the agreement would make up only around 0.4 per cent of the EU consumption — hardly a basis for derailing the broader deal,” he said.

“If France cannot build domestic support for prioritising the strategic value of cooperation with like-minded partners over narrower sectoral pressures, its ambitions for greater global influence will remain out of reach.

“This shift in attitude is therefore as good for France as it is for Australia.”