17-21 June 2013, Cairns, Australia
The Fifth Meeting of the FTA Joint Committee was held in Cairns, Australia, from 17-21 June
2013. Representatives from the ten ASEAN Member States, Australia and New Zealand,
and the ASEAN Secretariat attended the Meeting, which was co-Chaired by:
- Mr. Michael Mugliston, Special Negotiator, Free Trade Agreement Division,
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, for Australia; - Mr. Greg Andrews, Head of FTA Implementation Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Trade, for New Zealand; and - Mr. Adnan Jaafar, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade, Brunei Darussalam, on behalf of ASEAN Member States.
Summary of main outcomes
1. Implementation of AANZFTA
NOTED the progress in the implementation of the AANZFTA Agreement and
ENCOURAGED the Parties to maintain the momentum, including advancing the
Agreement's built-in agendas.
2. Work Programme of the FTA Joint Committee and Subsidiary Bodies
CONSIDERED the reports of subsidiary bodies under the FTA Joint Committee, namely: (i)
Committee on Trade in Goods; (ii) Committee on Investment; (iii) Committee on Trade in
Services; (iv) Committee on Intellectual Property (IP); and (v) Ad Hoc Economic Cooperation
Budget Subcommittee; as well as the outcomes of the Informal Meeting of Competition
Experts held in the sidelines of the FTA Joint Committee Meeting.
With the aim of ensuring AANZFTA continues to deliver commercial benefits, including
sustaining business confidence and increasing utilization of the Agreement, WELCOMED the finalization of the First Protocol to Amend the AANZFTA and the consolidated product
specific rules (PSRs) in HS 2012; and AGREED to expeditiously complete the transposition
of the tariff schedules of all Parties from Harmonized System (HS) 2007 to HS 2012.
NOTED the initiatives under the review of Non-Tariff Measures, including the proposal to
conduct business surveys to identify practical solutions to address barriers affecting product
supply chains.
NOTED the outcomes of the Workshop on Non-Mode 3 Investment in Services and the
useful exchange of views on cross-cutting issues at a joint session among investment and
services officials and ENCOURAGED both the Committee on Trade in Services and
Committee on Investment to continue engagement on this aspect of the Agreement's built-in
agenda.
AGREED to undertake preparatory work to arrive at a common and shared understanding of
issues in relation to the review of commitments under the Services chapter of the
Agreement.
WELCOMED the Philippines and New Zealand's accession to the Madrid Protocol
Concerning the International Registration of Marks (which entered into force on 25 July and
10 December 2012, respectively) as well as the establishment of Brunei Darussalam's
Intellectual Property Office to streamline intellectual property administration in the country.
AGREED-IN-PRINCIPLE to establish the AANZFTA Competition Committee subject to the
endorsement of ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand Trade and Economic Ministers at the
AEM-CER Consultations in August 2013 and NOTED the suggestion for the Competition
Committee to meet back-to-back with the ASEAN Experts Group on Competition in
November 2013, as well as the next FTA Joint Committee Meeting to provide a further
opportunity for engagement between trade and competition experts.
3. Progress in Economic Cooperation
CONSIDERED recommendations contained in the Independent Progress Report (IPR) of
the AANZFTA Economic Cooperation Support Programme (AECSP). The program,
supported by Australia and New Zealand, is generating tangible outcomes, especially in
terms of the capacity-building initiatives undertaken in the areas of intellectual property, rules
of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), standards as well as in services and
investment; and is contributing to other ASEAN priorities such as the ASEAN Economic
Community as well as national reform agendas (e.g., OECD investment policy reviews).
AGREED to strengthen engagement with the broader community, including more effectively
communicating the outcomes of AECSP activities to all stakeholders – public and private.
SUPPORTED the recommendation contained in the IPR to extend the AECSP to 31
December 2015 with no change in budget.
REVIEWED progress in implementing economic cooperation activities and AGREED to
consider useful projects for future implementation.
NOTED the good progress in intellectual property activities, particularly, relating to patent
examination, accession to Madrid Protocol, and intellectual property education and
awareness, which are expected to have long-term benefits across the region.
4. Outreach and other Activities
NOTED the outcomes of the 3rd ASEAN-CER Integration Partnership Forum (IPF), held on
18 June 2013 in Cairns, Australia, which was a useful sharing of Australian and New
Zealand experience on cooperation on competition policy. Presentations and background
papers from the event are available online at The ASEAN-CER Integration Partnership Forum.
WELCOMED the conduct of an AANZFTA Business Advocacy and Outreach Seminar on
12 September 2012 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, organized by the Australian Consulate-
General and supported by the Australian Chamber of Commerce, the Vietnam Chamber of
Industry and Commerce, Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the ASEAN
Secretariat.