{"id":1172,"date":"2016-04-11T11:57:04","date_gmt":"2016-04-11T01:57:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intas.com.au\/?p=1172"},"modified":"2020-10-28T17:28:09","modified_gmt":"2020-10-28T06:28:09","slug":"free-trade-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intas.com.au\/free-trade-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"The INTAS Guide to Free Trade Agreements in Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
A free trade agreement is an arrangement between two or more countries to reduce or remove barriers to trade. Increasing business between the cooperating nations, they often cover import tariffs & quotas, products & services, and foreign investment regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reflecting the strategic importance of access to the world\u2019s best businesses, free trade agreements aim to improve the competitive position of the countries under the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Depending on the agreement negotiated, FTAs are a great inducement for business to open up new markets, potentially increasing market share, accessing new technology innovations, and improving productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They may also help with government procurement, protection of intellectual property rights, competition policies, and can provide many added business incentives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While public awareness of free trade agreements has grown significantly in recent times, they are not a new development in world business – and Australia has been using them for over 30 years to strengthen its trade and business ties with other countries around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, these agreements have been created, often in intense negotiation, with the various governments of the respective countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As at March 2016, Australia has 10 active free trade agreements, with one signed, and five under negotiation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n