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Decoroative

JAEPA: 2021 General Review – Call for Public Submissions

17 May 2021

DFAT wishes to advise stakeholders of the commencement of work on a General Review of the implementation and operation of JAEPA under Article 20.5 of the agreement.

This mandated General Review is an opportunity to upgrade and modernise the agreement to support an enhanced bilateral economic partnership. The General Review provides a framework to identify trade and investment policy opportunities, review FTA activities and to consider emerging developments in global trade policy more broadly.

Australia's approach to the General Review will take into account outcomes agreed subsequent to JAEPA under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Australia and Japan are parties to both these agreements.

In 2019 DFAT conducted a Post-Implementation Review (PIR) of JAEPA in accordance with the Australian Government's Guide to Regulation. The PIR is a domestic regulatory requirement and was published on the Office of Best Practice Regulation website on 3 February 2020.

DFAT has commenced preparatory work for the General Review, including preliminary discussions with Japan. Our work program will include targeted consultations with key stakeholders but we also welcome written submissions from any interested stakeholders — which can be sent to JapanEPA@dfat.gov.au.

Submissions will be treated as public and may be published on this website, unless the author specifically requests that the submission, or part thereof, be handled in confidence.

For additional general information on the Australia-Japan bilateral relationship please refer to Australia-Japan bilateral relationship

For additional general information on JAEPA please refer to the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement

Further information is available by contacting japanEPA@dfat.gov.au.

The Australian Government has previously undertaken general reviews of existing FTAs:

  • The Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) has been reviewed twice, with significant outcomes implemented from both reviews. Further information on SAFTA can be found at Singapore-Australia FTA.
  • The ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA (AANZFTA) has been amended once and a general review of the agreement was completed in 2018. Negotiations to upgrade AANZFTA are underway. Further information on AANZFTA can be found at ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA.
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