AANZFTA
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
Articles
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20-Apr-2012 PM: Still work to do on trade with Indonesia
Despite the free trade agreement between New Zealand and Indonesia which came into force early this year there is still much to do to remove barriers to trade between the two countries, Prime Minister John Key says. -
5-Feb-2012 Trade and investment climate needs improvement: New Zealand
New Zealand expects Indonesia to improve its trade and investment climate to allow both countries to reap greater benefits from a recently implemented free trade agreement (FTA) among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia and New Zealand. -
10-Jan-2012 Jakarta Post Tariffs tumble — will prices follow?
Although politicians are trumpeting the agreement as a major advance, Australasia will be the prime beneficiary getting easier access to ASEAN markets — around 625 million people. -
9-Jan-2012 Indonesia to sign FTA tomorrow
Indonesia will sign the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA) tomorrow. -
30-Jul-2011 Indonesia ready for FTA with New Zealand, Australia
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 Exporters urged to use lower tariffs under free trade deal
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 Stung by Asean-China deal, Minister asks for FTA delay
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 says restriction on beef imports will protect domestic industry
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 Free trade pact attracts Aussie investors to RP
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 In the dark on trade deals
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 ASEAN trade deal under fire
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, New Zealand free trade agreement with Asean starts
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-Malaysia FTA Should Be Comprehensive - Envoy
Australia is looking forward to a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) with Malaysia but has set no timeframe to conclude negotiations on it. -
21-Oct-2009 Giant new Asian trade deal on agenda
Prime Minister John Key will discuss a new Asia-wide trade agreement in Thailand this weekend. -
10-Jul-2009 NZ Herald Ethical issues for future free trade talks
The free trade agreement between New Zealand, Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations may lead to new layers of complexity in future negotiations. -
2-Jul-2009 Business World Revenue loss from free trade with Australia, NZ feared
The Philippine government could lose as much as P600 million annually in foregone revenues if tariffs on dairy products are removed under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA), an industry group said yesterday. -
22-Jun-2009 Business Mirror RP set to ratify free-trade pact with Australia, New Zealand
While not part of the official AANZFTA negotiations, the Philippine government is preparing to ratify the free-trade agreement it signed as a member of ASEAN with the governments of Australia and New Zealand. -
3-Apr-2009 Now not the time to be signing away NZ’s sovereignty
At a time when New Zealand needs the flexibility to respond to pressing domestic economic priorities, and with fresh questions being raised in Australia about the value of their free trade agreements, now was not the time to be signing away New Zealand’s economic sovereignty, Professor Jane Kelsey told a select committee this morning considering the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade agreement. -
3-Apr-2009 Our FTA with South-East Asia labelled ’mediocre’
Australia’s biggest ever free trade agreement has been branded as mediocre by one of the first detailed reviews of the deal. -
2-Apr-2009 Legal Issues and Objections to the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA
Survey of Legal Issues and Objections to AANZFTA from the Perspective of a Philippine N.G.O.
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AANZFTA website
Official website of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade agreement
