Free Trade Agreements

Free Trade Agreements increase trade opportunities for goods and services between nations who are members of the World Trade Organisation.

Free Trade Agreements are the responsibility of the Australian Government, however each State Government plays an important role in representing their industry interests during the negotiation phase.

Agreements in place

Australia has Free Trade Agreements with:

• Chile
• Singapore 
• Thailand 
• United States of America
• New Zealand and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Australian Minister for Trade Simon Crean signed the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement on 27 February 2009 in Thailand with the New Zealand and ASEAN Trade Ministers. It is Australia's largest Free Trade Agreement and comes at a critical time for Australian exporters. It will give Australian industry a front row seat in the ASEAN market which covers approximately 16 per cent of Australia's trade in goods and services, worth A$80 billion.  The ASEAN market, with ten nations and a population of 600 million people, is the third largest global market after China and India. The combined Gross Domestic Product of ASEAN is estimated at A$3.2 trillion, second only to China in emerging Asia.

Free Trade Agreement negotiations or discussions are continuing with:

• China 
• Gulf Cooperation Council 
• Japan 
• Malaysia.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides detailed information on Free Trade Agreements including regular updates on Australia’s existing and proposed Free Trade Agreements, an insight into Australia’s approach to negotiations and an outline of the World Trade Organisation’s involvement.

For information about the Department of State Development’s involvement in Western Australia's Free Trade Agreements please contact Mike Beach, Senior Project Manager.

Page last modified: 17-Feb-2009

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