Radio National Breakfast Canavan concerned the government 'rolled over' on EU trade deal
Mar 23, 2026
Matt Canavan, Nationals leader and Shadow Minister for Trade who focuses on trade, agriculture and energy. He questions the EU trade pact’s impact on sovereignty. He debates naming rights for products and compares red meat access with the UK deal. He warns about EU deforestation rules and raises concerns about fuel supply pressures and calls for government action.
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Concern Over Sovereignty Tradeoff In EU Deal
- Matt Canavan argues the EU-Australia trade deal appears weak because it may trade away sovereignty for limited market gains.
- He cites reports of adopting EU deforestation rules and only modest red meat access versus earlier UK deal promises.
EU Deforestation Rules Seen As Regulatory Overreach
- Canavan highlights opposition to the EU's deforestation regulation as an example of regulatory overreach.
- He notes he moved a Senate motion with Labor Senator Raf Ciccone opposing EU attempts to regulate Australian farming.
Demand Red Meat Terms At Least As Good As UK Deal
- Canavan urges the government to seek at least the same red meat terms Australia won with the UK, including eventual unlimited access.
- He compares reported ~50,000 tonne EU access with the UK deal's 170,000 tonnes initial quota then unlimited after 15 years.