2022 CEO’s Report

We have strongly advocated for modernising and expanding the bilateral architecture, to remove unnecessary obstacles and establish the frameworks to facilitate the flow of ideas, technology, goods and services, people and investment from which both markets stand to gain. Additionally, we have supported efforts for closer institutional, business and organisational cooperation to solve common challenges and capitalise on the exciting and vast opportunities we share, where our strategic interests, needs and capabilities are complementary.

2022 will be a year to remember. After two years in which the international system has come under significant strain, it was tested once again with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its devastating consequences. Rather than retreating to economic and security nationalism, it is clear that a prosperous, sustainable and secure future lies with strengthening international cooperation with trusted partners who share strategic priorities and a commitment to upholding the rules-based global order.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the European Union (EU) and Australia and the formal entry into force of the bilateral Framework Agreement. This important milestone paves the way for the conclusion of the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and closer cooperation on key bilateral and multilateral issues including climate change and the environment, sustainable development, human rights and democracy, education, culture, research and innovation, trade and investment, tourism, and security.

We were buoyed to see the resumption of EU-Australia FTA negotiations this February and the progress made in the 13th round in October, where negotiating teams were finally able to meet face to face in Brussels. Concluding a comprehensive, high-quality agreement will require strong support from all stakeholders. The EABC will continue to work closely with the negotiating teams, our members and other partners to identify obstacles and issues which make life cumbersome or unviable for businesses, and to feed this information into the negotiating process.

Not long after last year’s AGM we welcomed the signature of the United Kingdom (UK)-Australia FTA on 17 December 2021. This landmark agreement is the most comprehensive deal Australia has concluded to date, other than with New Zealand, and will deliver important gains for trade and investment, movement of people, digital regulatory coordination, science and technology cooperation, and paves the way for the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). We strongly support the swift ratification of the deal by both parliaments, and will continue to advocate for its effective implementation so that businesses and researchers may reap its full benefits.

With a return to international travel we were delighted to have resumed our annual Business Missions to Europe, with our latest travelling to Paris, Brussels, London, Rome and Milan in late June and early July. We deliberately began our programme in Paris, where we held very positive discussions with the then French Trade Minister Franck Riester , and senior officials where we were assured of France’s commitment to a relationship ‘re-set’ and support for the FTA’s conclusion. Our mission engaged with European political leaders, institutions, peak industry bodies and international organisations. Further details of the mission can be found in this Annual Report.

Looking forward, I am pleased to advise that the EABC will be returning to Brussels and other European capitals in December, alongside Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell, where we will continue our advocacy work in collaboration with peak European business organisations and the Australian Mission to the EU. Our annual Business Mission will return to Europe in 2023, visiting Brussels, Berlin, Stockholm and London.

In addition to our sustained FTA advocacy, the EABC has focussed on a broad range of other business issues and initiatives to foster bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation between Australia and Europe. These cover issues related to trade, investment, double taxation, science, technology and innovation and Australia’s participation in Horizon Europe, regulation, and the setting of standards to insure the fairness, transparency, flexibility and interoperability of divergent regimes.

We have also been delighted to collaborate with our members on issues related to Australia’s economic recovery and business environment including supply chains; skills shortages; government-industry-university collaboration on research and innovation; the energy transition, sectoral emissions reduction strategies, and broader ESG issues; digital transformation; policy levers to boost Australia’s productivity, economic complexity and diversification; and many others.

This year more than fifty roundtables and other activities were hosted by the EABC and our partners in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. Our programme of activities in Australia, since last year’s AGM, has included many productive sessions with a wide variety of political, diplomatic and organisational leaders as well as key officials, including:

• Federal Ministers and Shadow Ministers including Senator the Hon Tim Ayres, Assistant Minister for Trade and Manufacturing; Hon Chris Bowen MP, (then) Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy; Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP, (then) Shadow Treasurer; Hon Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education; Hon Pat Conroy MP, Minister for Defence Industry and International Development in the Pacific; Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP, (then) Shadow Attorney-General and Shadow Minister for Constitutional Reform; Hon Paul Fletcher MP, (then) Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cyber Safety and the Arts; Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, (then) Treasurer; Senator the Hon Jane Hume, (then) Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services, the Digital Economy and Women’s Economic Security; Hon Ed Husic MP, Minister for Industry and Science; Senator the Hon Kristina Keneally, (then) Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration and Citizenship; Hon Madeleine King MP, (then) Shadow Minister for Trade and Resources; Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury; Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, Minister for Skills and Training; Hon Clare O’Neil MP, (then) Shadow Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services  Hon Angus Taylor MP, (then) Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction; Hon Dan Tehan MP, (then) Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment; Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Assistant Minister for Defence, Veterans’ Affairs and the Republic; and Hon Tim Wilson MP, (then) Assistant Minister to the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction.

• Australian Public Service leaders including Simon Atkinson, (then) Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications; Abigail Bradshaw CSC, Head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre, Australians Signals Directorate; Tony Cook, Deputy Secretary, Higher Education, Research and International Group, Department of Education, Skills and Employment; David Fredericks PSM, (then) Secretary of the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources; Phil Gaetjens, (then) Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet; Philip Lowe, Reserve Bank of Australia Governor; Michael Pezzullo AO, Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs; Rod Sims AO, (then) Chair of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission; Peter Tesch, (then) Deputy Secretary, Strategy, Policy, and Industry, Department of Defence; Lynette Wood, (then) First Assistant Secretary, Europe and Latin America Division, in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Luke Yeaman, Deputy Secretary, Macroeconomic Group, Department of Treasury; and Tim Yeend, Associate Secretary, Trade and Investment, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

• State Government and Public Servants including HE the Hon Margaret Beazley AC QC, Governor of NSW; Hon Victor Dominello MP, NSW Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government; Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte, NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer; Hon Alister Henskens SC MP, NSW Minister for Skills and Training, and Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology; Hon Tim Pallas MP, Treasurer of Victoria; and Hon Gabrielle Upton MP, (then) Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier of New South Wales.

• European Commission, Parliament and Member State Government representatives including Olivier Becht, French Minister for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad; Reinhard Bütikofer MEP, Co-Chair of the European Green Party and Chair of the European Parliament ‘s Delegation for Relations with China; Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs; Maria Martin-Prat, European Commission’s Deputy Director-General for Trade; David McAllister MEP, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs; Morten Helveg Petersen MEP, Vice Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy; and members of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee Delegation, including Chair Bernd Lange MEP, Vice Chair Jan Zahradil MEP, Karin Karlsbro MEP, Sean Kelly MEP, Sara Matthieu MEP, Danilo Oscar Lancini MEP, Helmut Scholz MEP, Pedro Silva Pereira MEP, and Jörgen Warborn MEP.

• Visiting European diplomats and Heads of Mission in Australia including HE Darius Degutis, Lithuanian Ambassador to Australia; HE Marion Derckx, Dutch Ambassador to Australia; HE Dr Markus Ederer, German Ambassador to Australia; HE Dr Thomas Fitschen, (then) German Ambassador to Australia; HE Michel Goffin, Belgian Ambassador to Australia; HE Satu Mattila-Budich, Finnish Ambassador to Australia; HE Martha Mavrommati, (then) Cypriot High Commissioner to Australia; HE Alicia Moral Revilla, Spanish Ambassador to Australia; HE Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia; HE Betty Pavelich, Croatian Ambassador to Australia; HE Dr Michael Pulch, (then) EU Ambassador to Australia; HE Pedro Rodrigues da Silva, Portuguese Ambassador to Australia; HE Wolfgang Lukas Strohmayer, Austrian Ambassador to Australia; HE Radu-Gabriel Safta, Romanian Ambassador to Australia; HE Jean-Pierre Thébault, French Ambassador to Australia; and Gabriele Visentin, as both EU Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific and more recently as EU Ambassador-Designate to Australia.

• Australian diplomats and Heads of Mission including HE Gillian Bird PSM, Australian Ambassador to France; HE Philip Green OAM, Australian Ambassador to Germany; HE Indra McCormick, Australian Ambassador-Designate to Portugal; HE Caroline Millar, Australian Ambassador to the EU, NATO, Belgium and Luxembourg; and HE the Hon Arthur Sinodinos AO, Australian Ambassador to the United States.

• Organisational and business leaders including Dr Raphael Arndt, CEO, Future Fund; Philip Chronican, Chair, National Australia Bank; José Manuel Entrecanales, Chair and CEO, ACCIONA; Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, former President of the Republic of Croatia and Assistant Secretary General of NATO; Simon Hickey, CEO, Western Sydney Airport; David Neal, Chief Executive, IFM Investors; Stephen Walters, Chief Economist, Business Council of Australia; and Lee White, Executive Director, IFRS Foundation.

• In addition, many of our Board, Corporate Council and Corporate Members have led valuable sessions for us on key policy, political and industry developments including during our annual International Women’s Day Forum co-hosted by ING Australia; Joint Board Dinners with the Group of Eight Universities and Screen Producers Australia; our site visit to the Western Sydney Airport and private viewing of the NGV’s “The Picasso Century” Exhibition co-hosted by ACCIONA; our Australian Federal Election Event; our annual Federal Budget Dinner in March co-hosted by National Australia Bank; and a bonus Federal Budget Dinner in October.

• Finally, together with the Delegation of the European Union to Australia, we have held a number of productive sessions bringing the EU Ambassadors, EU Economic and Commercial Councellors and EU Chambers together for engagements with Australian Federal and State and Territory government officials and industry groups on the EU-Australia FTA and opportunities to enhance business, research and innovation, and institutional linkages.

The EABC’s ability to undertake all these activities was only made possible by the strong commitment of our Australian and European member organisations. We are enormously grateful for their steadfast support in these challenging times, not only as financial members but for their outstanding leadership, expertise and participation.

Our thanks are also due to the extensive network of partners in Australian and European government agencies, diplomatic missions, peak business and industry organisations, national chambers of commerce here in Australia and the expanding network of Australian chambers and associations in Europe. We are particularly grateful for our highly productive and longstanding working relationships with the Delegation of the European Union to Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Trade & Investment Commission (Austrade), the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (now the Department of Industry, Science and Resources and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water), the Department of the Treasury, and many others. This year we have also deepened our collaboration with State Departments and Agencies, in particular with our new Member Investment NSW.  

I would like to make special tribute to HE Dr Michael Pulch, who finished his posting as EU Ambassador to Australia and an EABC Honorary Board Member in August this year. Having arrived on the eve of the launch of FTA negotiations between the EU and Australia, Michael has played an important role during a pivotal time in the bilateral relationship. His commitment to deepening cooperation for the benefit of both regions, has been unwavering though the challenges of the last few years through the COVID-19 pandemic, the AUKUS announcement, and the war in Ukraine. During his five years as Ambassador, Michael has been a valued colleague and unfailing supporter.

We were delighted that he has been succeeded by new EU Ambassador Gabriele Visentin who follows Michael to become an Honorary Board Member of the EABC. Gabriele has already engaged with the Council on many occasions over the years, having most recently been the inaugural EU Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific. His interest in the region, and the EU’s relationship with Australia extends much further back, and his energy, ambition and strategic focus on ways to drive the relationship forward is warmly welcomed. Already we are doing much together.

Our entire team also joins with me to extend our sincere thanks to our Chair the Hon Simon Crean, our outgoing Deputy Chair Bruce Morgan; Treasurer Sue Horlin, and all the members of the EABC Board and Corporate Council for their unfailing leadership, support and encouragement. We are delighted that long-time Board Members Jeff Connolly and Vicki Thomson have agreed to become our new Deputy Chairs.

It was with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of two great friends of the EABC this year.

Francesca Tardioli, Italy’s Ambassador to Australia, was a distinguished diplomat and champion of human rights, gender equality and international cooperation. She was greatly admired and respected colleague whose professional commitment, and warm friendship will be greatly missed.

EABC Corporate Council Member, David Irvine AO, was an eminent public servant who over fifty years served as a leading Australian diplomat, Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service and later the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, and most recently as Chair of the Foreign Investment Review Board and Chair of the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre. In both roles he made an enormous contribution to the EABC.

Finally, our ability to undertake advocacy and policy activities, engage with so many stakeholders, and to deliver relevant, purposeful and well-executed business roundtables and other events, is only possible with a talented and incredibly dedicated team. To all our team members: Jo Johns, Sarah Cumming, Caragh Johnson, Carolina Romero, Rosie Johns, Olimpia Kane, who has joined us during Carolina’s maternity leave, and to our interns over the last year, many thanks for the exceptional contribution you have made!

As ever, our plans for the coming twelve months will be ambitious, and we look forward with enthusiasm and excitement to working with all our members and partners in 2023.