Foreign Relations of Australia - Europe

• Albania have a consulate in Adelaide and Australia's embassy in Greece is accredited to Albania
• Albania's foreign minister Edmond Panariti visited Australia in August 2012, following on from a visit to Albania from Richard Marles, parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs.
• There are approximately 11,000 people in Australia of Albanian descent.
• In recent years, the Australian Government has provided financial and humanitarian assistance to Albania.

• Both countries have a growing bilateral commercial relationship, going back to World War One when they entered after Belgium was invaded by Germany.
• They share similar approaches to many international issues, including climate change, arms control, whaling and Antarctica.
• There are a number of bilateral agreements between the two countries
• Trade and investment relations are very significant. In 2010, total Belgian investment in Australia was valued at A$14.7 billion, and Australian investment in Belgium totalled $6.2 billion. In 2010-11, Belgium was ranked as Australia’s 22rd largest merchandise trading partner.

• Australia recognised Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 and established diplomatic relations in 1994.
• Australia has a consulate in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina has an embassy in Canberra.
• Australia has a continuing interest in efforts to maintain peace and build prosperity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since 1993-94, Australia has contributed humanitarian assistance worth over A$17 million to countries in the Balkans, including to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Australia is represented in Bulgaria through its embassy in Athens (Greece). Australia has an honorary consulate in Sofia.
• Bulgaria has an embassy in Canberra.

Australia-Croatia relations have been warm since Australia's recognition of Croatia in January 1992

• Australia has an embassy in Zagreb, Croatia have an embassy in Canberra in addition to consulates in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth
• Over 118,000 Australians are of Croatian descent, the largest of the former Yugoslav nations.
• The two nations have signed a few bilateral agreements such as a social security agreement in May 2003 to give greater protection to people who have lived or worked in Australia and/or Croatia.
• Bilateral trade is worth A$42 million.

• Since 1964, Australia has provided personal and equipment to the UNFICYP.
• Australia has a High Commission in Nicosia.
• Cyprus has High Commission in Canberra.
• Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about relations with Cyprus
• Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs: list of bilateral treaties with Australia

• Australia is represented in the Czech Republic through its embassy in Warsaw (Poland) and through an honorary consulate in Prague.
• The Czech Republic has an embassy in Canberra, a consulate in Sydney and five honorary consulates (in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and Brisbane).
• There are around 21,000 people of Czech descent living in Australia.
• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about the relation with the Czech Republic

Australia was among the first countries to re-recognise Estonia's independence on 27 August 1991. Both countries re-established diplomatic relations on 21 November 1991.

Australia is represented in Estonia through its embassy in Stockholm (Sweden), and through an honorary consulate in Tallinn. Estonia is represented in Australia through its embassy in Tokyo (Japan) and through three honorary consulates (in Claremont, Hobart, and two in Sydney). Australia is host to one of the largest communities of Estonians abroad, with 8,232 people identifying as Estonian in the 2006 Australian Census.

Diplomatic relations were established on 31 May 1949. Australia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, and through an honorary consulate in Helsinki. Finland has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate in Sydney.

France and Australia have a close relationship founded on historical contacts, shared values of democracy and human rights, substantial commercial links, and a keen interest in each other's culture.

• Australia has an embassy in Berlin and a general consulate in Frankfurt.
• Germany has an embassy in Canberra.
• Trade between the 2 countries is sizable but heavily weighted to imports from Germany. In 2008, total two-way merchandise trade was valued at over A$13.4 billion, of which A$11.4 billion (85 per cent) were imports from Germany.

• There is a large Greek community in Australia (dating back from the 1950s and 1960s). See Greek Australian.
• Australia has an embassy in Athens.
• Australia and Greece were Allies during WWII and Australian forces took part in the Battle of Greece and Battle of Crete.
• Greece also has Consulates General in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as a Consulate in Perth, honorary consulates general in Brisbane and Darwin, and honorary Consulates in Newcastle and Hobart.
• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about relations with Greece
• Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Australia

• Australia has an embassy in Budapest.
• Hungary has an embassy in Canberra, a consulate general in Sydney and four honorary consulate (in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth).
• There are 67,000 people of Hungarian ancestry living in Australia, many Hungarian-Australians have been active in the fields of business, academia, politics and the arts such as Nick Greiner, Frank Lowy, Judy Cassab, and Les Murray
• In recent years there have been several high-level visits to strengthen relations.
• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about relations with Hungary

• Australia and Iceland are quite far apart from each other, nonetheless enjoy friendly relations. Australia's Danish consulate is accredited to Iceland and Iceland have 3 consulates in Australia.
• There is a small Icelandic community in Australia and a small Australian community in Iceland
• Trade between the two countries is modest.

• Australia and Ireland share a close historical relationship with strong cultural links between the two nations.
• Australia has an embassy in Dublin.
• Ireland has an embassy in Canberra, a Consulate General in Sydney and an honorary consulate in Victoria, and both nations are former British colonies.
• About 20% of the Australian population have Irish ancestry, which often predates Irish Independence in 1922.
• Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about relations with Ireland

• Australia has an embassy in Rome and a general consulate in Milan.
• Italy has an embassy in Canberra, two general consulates (in Melbourne and Sydney) and three consulates (in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth).
• Italy and Australia have for long years, sustained a muscular and positively friendly relationship in the categories of immigration, political strategism, and commercial trade.
• There are around 850,000 people of Italian descent living in Australia.
• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about the relation with Italy

• Australia recognised the Republic of Kosovo on 19 February 2008.
• Australia's Ambassador to Kosovo is subordinate to the Embassy in Vienna.

• Australia is represented in Luxembourg through its embassy in Brussels (Belgium) and an honorary consulate in Luxembourg City.
• Luxembourg is represented in Australia through the embassy of the Netherlands in Canberra and through an honorary consulate in East Lindfield.
• Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about the relation with Luxembourg

See Australia–Malta relations

• Australia has a High Commission in Valletta.
• Malta has a High Commission in Canberra, two Consulates-General (in Melbourne and Sydney), and four honorary consulates (in Adelaide, Ascot Vale, Melbourne and Perth).
• Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about relations with Malta

• Australia recognised the Republic of Montenegro on 27 June 2006.
• Australia is represented in Montenegro through a non-resident ambassador based in the Australian embassy in Belgrade (Serbia).
• Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about relations with Montenegro

• Australia has an embassy in The Hague
• The Netherlands has an embassy in Canberra.

• Australia has an honourary consulate in Oslo, and is represented in Norway through its embassy in Stockholm (Sweden)
• Norway has an embassy in Canberra

See Australia–Norway relations

• Australia have an embassy in Warsaw. Poland have an embassy in Canberra as well as consulates in every other capital city.
• There have been several bilateral agreements between the two countries
• 164,000 people of Polish ancestry live in Australia, nearly half of them born in Poland. The Polish community is active in promoting people-to-people contact and commercial and academic ties through a number of community organisations, bilateral business councils and institutes.
• Australian investment in Poland is valued at around A$570 million.

• Australia has an embassy in Lisbon while Portugal have an embassy in Canberra and a consulate in Sydney
• Both countries disagreed on East Timor during the twentieth century but today work closely in ensuring stability there and giving foreign aid.
• There are 40,000 people of Portuguese descent in Australia.
• Australia had a strong trade relationship with Portugal but recently has diminished due to the Eurozone debt crisis
• They have signed a few bilateral agreements on social security and Visas.

• Australia has a non-resident ambassador in its embassy in Belgrade (Serbia), and has a consulate general in Bucharest.
• Romania has an embassy in Canberra and a general consulate in Sydney.
• Romania and Australia have concluded an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, signed in 1994, a Trade and Economic Agreement (signed with full effect for Australia in July 2002 and for Romania in January 2003) and an Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion, signed in 2001.

• The first Australian embassy in Moscow opened in 1943. Australia has an embassy in Moscow and two honorary consulates (in Saint Petersburg and Vladivostok).
• Russia has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney.
• Australian Department of Foreign Affaires and Trade about the relation with Russia

• Australia has an embassy in Belgrade. The Australian Ambassador to Serbia is Dr Helena Studdert.
• Serbia has an embassy in Canberra and a general consulate in Sydney. Serbian Ambassador to Australia is due to arrive in late 2010 and Consul-General in Sydney is Aleksandar Besarabić.
• The European office of the Australian Federal Police is located in Belgrade as of 2003.
• In the 2006 Australian Census, 95,364 people identified themselves as having Serbian origin.

• Australia's embassy in Vienna is accredited to Slovakia.
• Serbia has an embassy in Canberra and consulates in Brisbane and Melbourne.
• Two-way trade between the countries stands at $115 million.
• There are approximately 10,000 people of Slovak origin living in Australia.

• Australia recognised Slovenia as an independent state on 16 January 1992.
• Australia is represented in Slovenian through its embassy in Vienna, Austria, and through an honorary consulate in Ljubljana.
• Slovenia has an embassy in Canberra and an honorary consulate in Camperdown, New South Wales.
• There are between 20,000 and 25,000 Slovenians who live in Australia.
• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about relations with Slovenia

• Spain has an embassy in Canberra as well as consulates in every mainland city
• Australia has an embassy in Madrid
• The two countries signed a Joint Action Agreement in June 2009 in conjunction with increased Spanish engagement in the Asia-Pacific and in addition to many other bilateral agreements
• 84,000 Australians claim Spanish descent
• Trade in 2010-11 reached around A$2.56 billion
• Many Australian developers have invested in projects in Spain and in turn Spanish companies have invested in Australian projects

Australia has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has an embassy in Canberra as well as a Consulate-General in Sydney. Sweden is also represented by consulates in Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne and Perth.

• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about relations with Sweden

• Switzerland opened a consulate in Sydney in 1855 and one in Melbourne in 1856.
• Australia is represented to Switzerland through its embassy in Berlin (Germany) and Australia also has a consulate-general in Geneva.
• Switzerland has an embassy in Canberra, a consulate-general in Sydney and six honorary consulates in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne and Perth.
• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about relations with Switzerland
• Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs about relations with Australia

• Ukraine opened an Embassy in Canberra in March 2003.
• Australia’s Ambassador in Vienna is accredited to Ukraine.
• The 2006 Census recorded 13,665 Ukrainian-born persons in Australia. Most Ukrainian migrants to Australia arrived in the post-World War II period.

The small but active Ukrainian community in Australia plays an important role in developing bilateral relations. In 2002 the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations helped establish Ukrainian-Australian House in Kyiv to promote commercial ties.

• Trade relations are modest.
• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade about relations with Ukraine

British-Australian relations are close, marked by shared history, culture, institutions and language, extensive people-to-people links, aligned security interests, and vibrant trade and investment cooperation.

• Since the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Holy See in 1973, Australia has maintained a non-resident Head of Mission, based in another European capital, as well as an office at the Holy See, headed by a Counsellor.
• The Holy See has maintained an Apostolic Nunciature in Canberra since 1973.
• On 21 July 2008, the Australian Government announced that it would appoint for the first time a resident Ambassador to the Holy See – the Hon Tim Fischer AC. According the Australian Foreign Ministry, this marked a significant deepening of Australia's relations with the Vatican since it would allow Australia to expand dialogue with the Vatican in areas including human rights, political and religious freedom, inter-faith dialogue, food security, arms control, refugees and anti-people trafficking, and climate change. Mr Fischer commenced his appointment on 30 January 2009 and presented credentials to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on 12 February 2009.
• The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Rudd, visited the Pope Benedict XVI and met the Vatican's Secretary of State on 9 July 2009.
• The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Stephen Smith MP, met HE Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Holy See's Secretary for Relations with States ( on 3 December 2008 during his visit to Oslo to sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The Holy See played a facilitating role in relation to the Oslo process as a member of the Core Group of States.