Wow! 86 treaties. Not just an Australia deal, but a bucket full of Australia deals. Amazing. I’m going to take a look at these. Thanks for the link.

https://ec.europa.eu/world/agreements/searchByCountryAndContinent.do?countryId=2131&countryName=Australia&countryFlag=treaties https://twitter.com/EuroGuido/status/1318487831313002500

Right, let’s start from the beginning – Constitution of the Food & Agriculture Organisation of the UN, 1945...

https://ec.europa.eu/world/agreements/prepareCreateTreatiesWorkspace/treatiesGeneralData.do?step=0&redirect=true&treatyId=470

...Sounds pretty cool, if a bit old. But, it's a multilateral treaty, rather than an Australia deal with the EU. Plus it doesn’t relate to trade. Not to worry, there are loads of others.

Next, the Hague Conference on Private International Law. I like The Hague, but this is multilateral again and not about trade.
https://ec.europa.eu/world/agreements/prepareCreateTreatiesWorkspace/treatiesGeneralData.do?step=0&redirect=true&treatyId=11841

Hang on, this is more like it, a customs convention. Specifically, the Customs Convention on the temporary importation of private road vehicles, 1957. Wait. It’s another multilateral treaty. Where are the Australia only deals?
https://ec.europa.eu/world/agreements/prepareCreateTreatiesWorkspace/treatiesGeneralData.do?step=0&redirect=true&treatyId=472

I like this one. Long title. Must be good...
https://ec.europa.eu/world/agreements/prepareCreateTreatiesWorkspace/treatiesGeneralData.do?step=0&redirect=true&treatyId=474

...Agreement concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be, blah, blah blah. It’s another multilateral agreement! I want Australia and Australia alone.

Right, let’s go by decade.

4 treaties from the 1950s. All multilateral

4 from the ‘60s and ‘70s. All multilateral

13 from the ‘80s. All multilateral. But wait, no, there it is, an Australian deal, not one, not two, but three. Wait long enough and they will come. Exciting.

Let’s take a look:

1980 – An agreement between the European Economic Community and Australia on trade in mutton, lamb and goat meat.

https://ec.europa.eu/world/agreements/prepareCreateTreatiesWorkspace/treatiesGeneralData.do?step=0&redirect=true&treatyId=323

1984 – An agreement on cheese. Now we’re talking

https://ec.europa.eu/world/agreements/prepareCreateTreatiesWorkspace/treatiesGeneralData.do?step=0&redirect=true&treatyId=324

1994 – An agreement on wine.

https://ec.europa.eu/world/agreements/prepareCreateTreatiesWorkspace/treatiesGeneralData.do?step=0&redirect=true&treatyId=325

1998 – An agreement on conformity assessment.

https://ec.europa.eu/world/agreements/prepareCreateTreatiesWorkspace/treatiesGeneralData.do?step=0&redirect=true&treatyId=329

2008 – An agreement consolidating bilateral arrangements on aviation.

Take that remoaners. Keep them coming!

Oh. No wait. That’s it.

https://ec.europa.eu/world/agreements/prepareCreateTreatiesWorkspace/treatiesGeneralData.do?step=0&redirect=true&treatyId=7403

So 86 agreements, of which 66 are multilateral, and of the remaining 22 agreements that are actually with Australia, only 8 relate to trade, 3 of which amend previous agreements. So 5 deals. Just 5. Not 86. And no Free Trade Agreement anywhere to be seen.

I’m so disappointed. I feel genuinely cheated. I think Euro Guido has seriously oversold this (or are they just being disingenuous). Either way, they really should know better.