*Australia's free trade talks with European Union paused until 2022 as
France's anger over AUKUS submarine deal continues*
/ABC News/
<https://tinyurl.com/yge9o88r>

*Key points*

- Australia cancelled a deal with a French company to build eight
conventional submarines in September

- Since then, the EU questioned whether it should continue free trade
talks with Australia

- Trade Minister Dan Tehan had previously said he hoped talks would
result in a deal by the end of 2021

"The European Union has postponed the next round of free trade talks with
Australia for a second time amid simmering anger over Canberra's decision
to cancel a $90 billion submarine contract with France.

Trade Minister Dan Tehan said the 12th round of talks with the EU had
been postponed for the second time this month, this time until February
2022.
The talks were previously put off by a month from mid-October.

"The European Union have advised the Australian government that round 12
of the FTA negotiations will now take place in February," Mr Tehan said
in a statement to Reuters.
The European Commission, which oversees trade policy for the 27-nation
European Union, said it had not scheduled a resumption of trade talks in
November, with no new date set for the 12th round to take place. ... "
~~~

Why is it that very successfully neutral countries like Austria, Finland
Switzerland and Sweden can manage quite well without sucking up to bully
boy power blocks and still manage to live quite happily?
I suppose that is a question you won't get a rational answer to from our
LNP government.

--
Ördög - 👹️ - The newsgroup Devil at your service.

Want to see the most spiteful nasties of Australian politics?
Here I show you:

Just look no farther than the Liberal Party of Australia and
its dumb coalition partner:

This is their fundamental ideology (if one can call it that):
Capitalist neo-liberal/libertarian lies and alternate reality,
Lack of compassion for the already downtrodden,
Sociopathic greed & envy,
Endemic nepotistic and plutocratic corruption,
Vicious hunger for power and "born to rule mentality",
Xtian fundamentalism
Never ending misogyny & homophobia
Undeniable Anglo-Celtic racism and supremacy,
Unbridled hate for the underclasses,
Unrelenting vengeance seeking against political opponents...