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Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

Australia-UAE CEPA - Outcomes at a Glance

  • Tariffs eliminated on over 99 per cent of Australia’s exports to the UAE by value, with most tariffs eliminated on entry-into-force or locked in at zero and others eliminated over three or five years.
  • For agricultural products, tariffs eliminated on key Australian exports to the UAE, except for culturally and religiously sensitive goods.
  • For industrial goods, immediate elimination of tariffs on exports of aluminium oxide, vehicle parts, and cosmetics.
  • UAE market access commitments in more than 120 services sectors and subsectors, 60 more than in the WTO, covering professional services, R&D services, financial Services, health services, education devices, environmental services
  • High-quality rules to address behind-the-border barriers to services trade.
  • Commitment to allow full Australian ownership for services firms in selected sectors.
  • Support for mobility of business persons between Australia and the UAE with commitments on intra-corporate transferees, contractual service suppliers and business visitors.
  • A Council on Investment to facilitate investment for priority sectors to support Australia’s clean energy transition and Future Made in Australia agenda.
  • Five Investment Cooperation MOUs in sectors of national priority: Green and Renewable Energy; Data Centres and Artificial Intelligence Projects; Food and Agriculture; Minerals; and Infrastructure Development.
  • Investment protections for Australian businesses and non-discrimination provisions in a standalone Investment Protocol
  • No Investor-State Dispute Settlement provisions.
  • Digital trade rules benefiting Australian businesses, workers and consumers covering data flows and data localisation, source code and cryptography, acceptance of electronic trade documents, e-signatures, e-payments, and e-invoicing.
  • A prohibition on customs duties on electronic transmissions.
  • Modern, flexible and trade-facilitating outcomes on Rules of Origin, complemented by the inclusion of streamlined Customs cooperation.
  • Government Procurement outcomes that provide Australian suppliers with access to the UAE market for the first time, and commensurate access for UAE suppliers.
  • Intellectual Property outcomes that encourage innovation and creativity and promote effective and balanced protection of IP rights.
  • It maintains Australia’s ability to take measures to protect public health and promote access to medicines for all.
  • Australia’s first FTA to include a First Nations Peoples chapter, covering business networks, investment, traditional knowledge, digital trade, agriculture and environment.
  • UAE’s first dedicated chapter covering trade and labour
    • promoting compliance with ILO standards and enforcement of labour laws
    • establishing a Dialogue on Labour to advance Labour Rights, including through engaging with stakeholders
    • promoting cooperation on labour matters of mutual interest.
  • Dedicated chapter on environment and the transition to net zero.
  • Dedicated chapter covering trade, gender balance and women’s economic empowerment.
  • Framework for supporting Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in securing benefits from the agreement.
  • Rules covering transparency and fairness, consumer protections and State Owned Enterprises.
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