Negotiations EU-ANZ Human Rights Watch | 22 March 2026 As EU and Australia sign trade deal, will they defend rules-based order? by Claudio Francavilla and Daniela Gavshon This week, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic will visit Canberra in anticipation of signing a free trade agreement with Australia. The deal will be the third concluded by the EU this year, following others with the Mercosur and India, and with more likely to follow.