- Negotiations
Negotiations on this free trade agreement between the 10 ASEAN governments and those of Australia and New Zealand were concluded in Singapore in August 2008. The agreement was subsequently signed in February 2009 and came into force on 1 January 2010.
The ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA (AANZFTA) envisions a regional common market by 2015, and marks the first time that Australia and New Zealand have been involved jointly in negotiating an FTA with third countries. It was also the first time ASEAN embarked on comprehensive FTA negotiations covering all sectors, including goods, services, investment and intellectual property, simultaneously.
The Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia opposed the deal because of the impact of further trade liberalization on these manufacturing sectors and workers in Australia, and human rights concerns regarding Burma. Both the Green Party of New Zealand and human rights activists raised concerns about agreements with some ASEAN governments because of their human rights records. In the ASEAN countries, numerous activist groups also protested the rush into this FTA, especially during a global economic crisis that is hitting local workers hard.
last update: May 2012
Photo: Daveandlolo/CC BY 2.0
9-Jan-2012
Indonesia will sign the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA) tomorrow.
30-Jul-2011
Indonesia is ready to soon implement a free trade agreement with Australia and New Zealand as part of a free trade pact signed by ASEAN and the two countries.
25-Jul-2011
Filipino exporters are encouraged to take advantage of reduced tariffs under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) to increase their exports of goods and services to Australia, the world’s 13th largest economy.
11-Apr-2011
Antara
Indonesia’s Industry Minister MS Hidayat has asked for a postponement of the free-trade agreement between Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand to allow for further study.
12-Aug-2010
Live Trading News
Indonesia’s restriction on beef imports from New Zealand is aimed at protecting local breeders, a spokesman of the Trade Ministry said, as the dispute goes to the upcoming ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA forum.
27-Jul-2010
Cebu Daily News
The Australia-New Zealand-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (ANZAFTA) has made the Philippines an attractive market for Australian traders especially those in the dairy business.
19-Jan-2010
Lack of information, coupled with procedural problems, discouraged companies from fully taking advantage of the potential benefits of a free-trade scheme in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), a working paper authored by trade experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) revealed.
8-Jan-2010
Fruitnet.com
Australia’s free trade agreement with ASEAN is in effect, but Nationals leader Warren Truss sees the deal as a one-way street
4-Jan-2010
Bloomberg
Australia’s free trade agreement with New Zealand and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations came into effect, removing tariffs on grape exports to Malaysia and wheat sales to the Philippines.
3-Nov-2009
Australia is looking forward to a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) with Malaysia but has set no timeframe to conclude negotiations on it.
