TRADE MINISTERS HEAD FOR CRITICAL MEETING: Trade Ministers are jetting to Abu Dhabi for next week’s 13th ministerial conference of the WTO. They will confirm the accession of Timor-Leste and debate critical trade issues encompassing topics such as agriculture, fish subsidies, digital trade and dispute resolution. AUSTRALIA TO PUSH NEW FTA: Australia and the UAE are preparing for a 2nd round of negotiations for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement. It follows a first round in January. Trade Minister Farrell will…
PBEC Trade Report
US TO INVESTIGATE APPAREL COMPETITIVENESS: The US International Trade Commission is to investigate the export competitiveness of apparel industries in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia and Pakistan. A public hearing will be held on March 7. The five economies are key sources of apparel for the US market. AUSTRALIAN TRADE AMBASSADOR COMPLETES TERM: Australia’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation, George Mina, has completed his assignment in Geneva. He took up the position in 2020. He previously served…
AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTIVITY UNDER MICRO-TAX THREAT: A Productivity Commission research paper has suggested an increasingly complex and inefficient tax system risks limiting productivity growth. The paper says the number of sector-specific industry levies had grown from 26 to 248 since 1980. SOUTH KOREA & EU LAUNCH DIGITAL TALKS: Negotiators have been meeting in Brussels this week for the first negotiating round for a South Korea-EU Digital Trade Agreement. Meanwhile South Korea and Indonesia have met this week to review the implementation…
APEC LEADERS BACK WTO: Leaders of APEC have backed a global trading system with the WTO at its core. In a Golden Gate Declaration in San Francisco they said they were committed to reform of the WTO to improve its function including having discussions to have a fully-function dispute system restored by 2024. IPEF LEADERS MEET: Leaders of the IPEF economies have welcomed the ministerial signing of a supply chain agreement. They also announced the substantial conclusion of negotiations for…
AUSTRALIAN FARMERS CALL FOR REVERSAL OF BAN: Australian farming groups have written to Prime Minister Albanese urging the Government to reverse its ending of live sheep exports by sea. They warned of irreversible harm to the farm sector and to Australia’s trade and diplomatic relations in the Middle East. JAPAN & EU LIST MORE PROTECTED PRODUCT NAMES: Japan and the European Union have agreed under their Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement to protect a further 42 Geographical Indication names. The latest…
PBEC Trade Report July 2023 AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY CALLS FOR TASMAN TRADE BOOST: The Australian Industry Group has moved to reinvigorate the Australia-NZ Closer Economic Relations Agreement saying decisions by regulators were undermining the agreement. It proposes a Task Force of political, industry and regulatory leaders. INDIA BANS RICE EXPORTS: India has banned the export of non-basmati white rice in a bid to lower prices and boost availability for domestic consumers. The ban was announced with immediate effect during the week….
PBEC Trade Report June 2023 AUSTRALIA & EU FACING TOUGH WEEKS: Australia and the EU face tough weeks ahead as they seek to resolve contentious issues and deliver an FTA. Following talks in Brussels during the week Trade Minister Farrell told Sky News he would walk away if an FTA “in the interests of Australia” could not be reached. LEADING ECONOMIES CALL OUT COERCION: Australia, New Zealand, US, Japan, UK and Canada met in Paris during the week and issued…
PBEC Trade Report May 2023 – Part II AUSTRALIAN MINISTER JETS TO CHINA: Trade Minister Farrell has jetted to Beijing for his long-awaited meeting with Commerce Minister Wang. They met on Friday where Minister Wang accepted an invitation from Minister Farrell to make a reciprocal visit as the two ministers seek to resolve a major trade dispute. BUT NO QUICK TRADE FIXES: While the first Joint Ministerial Economic Commission meeting since 2017 did not produce any immediate resolutions to the…
PBEC Trade Report May 2023 US CALLS OUT EU GI POLICY: The USTR has again called out what it describes as the EU’s aggressive promotion of its exclusionary geographical indications (GI) policies. In an IP report the US said it remained concerned with the EU’s proposed expansion of its GI system to cover non-agriculture and food products. AUSTRALIA-EU FTA TALKS: A 15th Australia-EU FTA negotiating round between was held in Brussels during the week. A large Australian contingent travelled for…
PBEC Trade Report March 2023 AUSTRALIA LOOKING FOR CHINA TRADE PROGRESS: Australian trade officials are expected to continue talks with their Chinese counterparts this week ahead of an anticipated visit by Trade Minister Farrell. He told Sky News during the week he was confident some progress would be made on outstanding issues. TRADE MINISTERS HEAD TO NEW ZEALAND: Trade Ministers from CPTPP FTA economies will head to Auckland in July for a 7th CPTPP Commission. NZ will be hosting the…