悉尼，10月27日——欧盟驻澳大利亚大使劳伦斯·梅雷迪斯周二表示，随着欧盟推动供应链多元化、减少对中国的依赖，预计将有一波投资涌入澳大利亚关键矿产领域。
SYDNEY, Oct 27 - The European Union expects a wave of investment into the Australian critical minerals sector as it pushes to diversify its supply chain away from China, the bloc's ambassador to Australia Lawrence Meredith said on Tuesday.
经过八年谈判，澳大利亚与欧盟于3月达成自由贸易协定，取消了几乎所有商品的关税，并放宽了欧盟获取澳大利亚关键矿产的准入。
Australia and the European Union struck a free trade agreement in March after eight years of negotiations, removing tariffs on almost all goods and easing EU access to Australian critical minerals.
一旦双方签署并批准该协定——预计将于明年初完成——欧盟对关键矿产征收的5.5%关税将被取消。梅雷迪斯表示：“这将是一个改变游戏规则的举措。”
Once both parties sign and ratify that agreement, expected early next year, a 5.5% EU tariff on critical minerals will be removed. "It is going to be a game changer," Meredith said.
他补充说，与此同时，澳大利亚与欧洲投资银行签署谅解备忘录的谈判“非常接近”尾声，该行将作为欧盟的融资工具。
In parallel, talks are "very close" for Australia to sign a memorandum of understanding with the European Investment Bank, which would act as the bloc's funding vehicle, Meredith added.
他说：“欧盟将在关键矿产领域进行大规模投资。既然我们希望实现‘去中国化’多元化，那么最可能的合作伙伴之一必定是澳大利亚。”
"The European Union will be massively investing in critical minerals. Since we wish to diversify away from China, then one of the most likely partners has to be Australia," he said.
欧盟政策提案在更大规模的4090亿欧元竞争力基金中，为关键原材料预留了高达100亿欧元（约合112亿美元）资金，目前欧盟正在就2028年至2034年的预算进行辩论。
EU policy proposals have laid out as much as €10 billion ($11.2 billion) for critical raw materials within the larger €409 billion competitiveness fund, as the EU debates its budget from 2028 to 2034.
澳大利亚是欧盟寻求投资的几个关键矿产“超级大国”之一，其他还包括巴西、南非和加拿大。梅雷迪斯表示，欧盟还预计将沿供应链进行投资，包括在加工环节。
Australia is one of several critical minerals "superpowers" in which the EU is looking to invest, including Brazil, South Africa and Canada. The EU also expects to invest along the supply chain, including in processing, Meredith said.
澳大利亚周二表示，将更新其关键矿产战略，更加重视精炼和加工，因为投资竞争加剧、供应链担忧依然存在。
Australia said on Tuesday it would refresh its critical minerals strategy to place greater emphasis on refining and processing, as competition for investment intensifies and supply-chain concerns persist.
欧盟最初关注的重点是澳大利亚将优先纳入其战略储备的矿产：镓、锑和稀土。
The bloc is looking initially at the minerals that Australia will prioritise for its strategic reserve: gallium, antimony and rare earths.
梅雷迪斯表示，澳大利亚企业加快早期项目开发进程将有助于加速投资落地。
Australian companies going faster through the early project development would speed the investment process, he said.
他表示：“（该自由贸易协定）是一个信号，表明欧洲希望与澳大利亚开展更多合作。我们还拥有安全与防务伙伴关系。其中很大一部分涉及军民两用技术，而这正需要这些关键矿产。”
"(The FTA) is a signal that Europe wants to do far more with Australia. We also have a security and defence partnership. A lot of that is dual technology, and it requires precisely these critical minerals," he said.
根据“重整欧洲”计划，欧盟计划到2030年调动8000亿欧元投入防务。
The European Union plans to mobilise €800 billion into defence under ReArm Europe by 2030.
澳大利亚也有望于明年加入欧盟的旗舰级研究与创新资助计划“地平线欧洲”。梅雷迪思表示，2026年是澳欧关系具有“变革意义”的一年。
Australia is also on track to join the EU's flagship funding program for research and innovation, Horizon Europe, next year. Meredith said 2026 had been a "transformational" year for Australian-EU relations.
路透社引述他的话称：“大家已经看到2026年澳欧关系的大幅跃升，我非常有信心我们在2027年将迈上新台阶。”
"You've seen a big surge in EU-Australia in 2026, and I'm very confident we will go to the next level in 2027." REUTERS