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Australia-EU trade deal seeks to forge critical minerals alliance in hedge against China
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen after a joint sitting in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra on March 24.
PHOTO: EPA
Prashant Mehra
SYDNEY – The free trade agreement (FTA) between Australia and the European Union this week comes as a long-awaited breakthrough after more than eight years of negotiations.
But beyond the tariff cuts and improved market access, its real significance lies in something more strategic: securing supply chains for critical minerals.
