Provide your feedback to DFAT on the first 5 years of trading under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement by 31 July 2020.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is now seeking feedback on the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA), as we mark its 5th year of being in force.
Businesses and any other interested stakeholder can provide their written submission, which will help inform DFAT’s 5 year Post-Implementation Review (PIR) of the ChAFTA.
The Assistant Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Strategic Trade Policy and North Asia Branch, Amy Fox, said that Australia’s agriculture, food, fisheries and forestry sectors are important players in our trading relationship with China, and that their feedback is vital to the ongoing shaping of the agreement.
“Primary producers and exporters in this sector benefited to the tune of $15.9 billion in 2018-19 thanks to the trade relationship with China,” Fox said.
“It’s important that we continue to review and seek industry feedback on our existing FTA with China, despite any current trade issues in this space. This agreement shapes how industry does business, and so their input is invaluable, and we strongly encourage submissions to this review, particularly from the agriculture sector.”
Interested stakeholders have until 31 July 2020 to make their submissions.
The Post-Implementation Review marks the first 5 year review of ChAFTA since the agreement came into force on 20 December 2015. Since the agreement’s implementation, the export of Australia’s agricultural products to China has increased by 60 per cent.
Tariff cuts under the agreement to products like beef, veal, dairy, citrus and table grapes has led to growth in exports for each of those products.
“Your feedback to the Post-Implementation Review panel will inform the Australian Government on the impact ChAFTA has on your business. We want to know how it has affected your competitiveness in the market, and your ease and cost of doing business,” Fox said.
“The Post-Implementation Review seeks to uncover any unintended impacts of the agreement, whether beneficial or not. Your opinion on whether ChAFTA has delivered a net benefit to the Australian community is also valuable.”