Australia’s free trade negotiations with the European Union remain a work in progress, with the government hoping a deal will be finalised in the next year and a half.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne hinted France’s input in negotiations may not be positively skewed in Australia’s favour following the submarine deal snub, but told Jim Wilson the EU trade deal is a “another story”.

“Josep Borrell, who is the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has said publicly that we should not conflate one issue with the other.

“This is three years of negotiations so far … it’s not happening in the next week or two weeks or month.

“But there is more to it than one country; that’s what the European Union is all about.”

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