After almost a decade of negotiations, the EU and Australia concluded negotiations on their free trade agreement on 24 March 2026. The agreement creates a trade and services framework between two advanced economies that already exchange goods and services worth more than 89.2 billion euros per year, trade that sustains 460,000 jobs in the EU.
For Spanish companies and internationally minded professionals, this agreement opens concrete pathways into a stable, high-value market with sustained demand for European products, services and qualified talent. Capturing those opportunities, however, requires prior analysis, planning and an operational structure adapted to the Australian market.
A more accessible market for Spanish business
The tariff impact of the agreement is immediate in several key sectors. Exporters of machinery, motor vehicles and chemicals from the EU receive the most immediate benefit: tariffs on these goods are eliminated from day one of the agreement. In the agri-food sector, the agreement eliminates tariffs on cheeses, wines and sparkling wines, processed meat products, chocolate and confectionery, and certain fruits and vegetables, sectors where Spanish exporters hold a well-established position.
The savings are significant: the agreement will eliminate more than 99% of tariffs on European exports, with an estimated annual saving of 1 billion euros for EU companies. Medium-term projections reinforce that potential: EU exports to Australia are expected to grow by up to 33% over the next decade, reaching 17.7 billion euros annually.
Beyond goods trade, in the services sector EU companies will obtain better access in areas such as professional, financial, technological and digital services. The agreement also establishes rules on data flows and prohibits data localisation requirements, an important step for technology and digital companies. Additionally, the agreement will facilitate access by Spanish companies to public procurement in Australia, a market particularly active in infrastructure, transport and energy transition projects.
Professional mobility: more opportunities, same immigration complexity
The agreement includes measures to facilitate the mobility of professionals between both blocs, with direct implications for companies deploying staff to Australia and for professionals considering developing part of their careers in the country. The energy and technology sector is positioned as one of the most dynamic, with opportunities in renewable energy, infrastructure, critical minerals and innovation projects. Engineering, construction, healthcare, financial services and consultancy are equally active sectors where European presence in Australia is expected to grow significantly.
The agreement improves access conditions, but does not simplify immigration management. Australia maintains one of the most structured immigration systems in the world: specific visas according to the worker’s profile, the duration of the assignment and the type of activity. The appropriate visa category, Social Security obligations during the stay, the tax treatment of the worker in both Spain and Australia, the contractual framework for the assignment and local compliance requirements are all elements that must be analysed on a case-by-case basis, before the first employee boards a flight.
An agreement concluded, but pending ratification
The agreement text is closed at negotiating level, but must still complete its institutional process. The negotiated texts will need to pass approval by the EU Council, the consent of the European Parliament and ratification by Australia. Only once that process is complete, which is expected to extend over several years, will the agreement be able to enter into application. Companies that begin their analysis and market positioning now will arrive in the Australian market with a competitive advantage over those that wait for the agreement to be fully in force.
Is your company considering Australia as a next market or as a destination for staff deployment?
At Feliu and ExpatFeliu, we support Spanish companies and international professionals at every stage of their internationalisation and mobility process towards Australia: from viability analysis and legal structuring of the establishment, through immigration planning, local regulatory compliance and operational management in-country. If Australia is on your horizon, the time to prepare your entry is now.
Contact us for a personalised consultation.
