Free trade agreements

Free trade agreements signed or concluded (but not yet in force)

Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (IA-ECTA)

The interim trade agreement with India (called the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement) was signed by Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister Dan Tehan and Indian Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on 2 April 2022. The Agreement will enter into force in the second half of 2022.  Further information is available at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

Australia and India launched negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement in May 2011. There were nine rounds of negotiations, until September 2015. Following a period in which there were no negotiations, on 1 October 2021, India and Australia formally relaunched IA-CECA.

Australia-United Kingdom (UK) FTA

Australia and the United Kingdom (UK) launched negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) on 17 June 2020. The UK is Australia’s 7th largest trading partner and the 2nd largest source of foreign direct investment into Australia. On 17 December 2021, the Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon Dan Tehan MP and the UK Secretary of State for International Trade, the Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP signed the A-UK FTA. The FTA will enter into force during the course of 2022. For more information, including the FTA text, go to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

Free trade agreements under negotiation

Australia-European Union (EU) FTA

Australia and the EU launched negotiations for an FTA on 18 June 2018. As a bloc, the EU is Australia's second largest trading partner, third largest export destination, and second largest services market. Through the Australia-European Union FTA, Australia is seeking to improve market access for Australian agricultural and industrial products, lock in access for service providers, and reduce barriers to trade and investment through modern customs, rules of origin and trade facilitation procedures along with enhanced transparency and regulatory frameworks.

Geographical Indications (GIs)

The Australian Government ran a public objections process to seek views on the list of product names the EU has asked Australia to protect. Submissions closed on 13 November 2019. For more information, see the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

The Australian Government ran a public consultation process on the parameters of a potential GI framework from 4 September to 30 November 2020. More information on GIs can be found on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

This consultation process does not mean the Australian Government has agreed, or will agree, to make any changes to its existing GI regulatory framework or policy.

Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (A-UAE CEPA)

On 17 March 2022, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan and HE Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi Minister of State for Foreign Trade issued a joint statement announcing Australia and the UAE’s intention to pursue a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). A trade agreement with the UAE would be a first for Australia in the Middle East and be an important building block to a subsequent potential free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). More information on the A-UAE CEPA can be found on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

Australia-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement (GCC-Australia FTA)

FTA negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, commenced in July 2007. To date, there have been 4 rounds of GCC-Australia FTA negotiations, with the last one held in June 2009. Negotiations remain on hold while the GCC reviews its trade agreement policies. The agreement would provide an opportunity to address a range of tariff and non-tariff measures related to our agricultural exports. Further information is available at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

Pacific Alliance Free Trade Agreement

Australia and the Pacific Alliance launched negotiations for an FTA on 30 June 2017. The Pacific Alliance is a Latin American trade grouping made up of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. A Pacific Alliance FTA would enable Australian businesses to access opportunities in this emerging and dynamic region, which combined, is the world’s 8th largest economy and represents 35% of Latin America’s nominal GDP. It would also strengthen our economic relationship with the region and help facilitate value chains between the Americas and Asia. Further information on the FTA and Australia’s relationship with the Pacific Alliance countries is available at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.