Organised by the Australia Spain Business Association (ASBA), and with the support of the Australian Embassy in Madrid and the Spain Australia Council Foundation
The Spain Council Foundation supported, together with the Australian Embassy in Spain, the celebration of a Forum of a Discussion Forum: “A new Free Trade Agreement: opportunities for Australia and the EU”, organized by the Australia Spain Business Association (ASBA).
The Australian Ambassador in Spain, Julie-Ann Guivarra, and the Deputy Director General for Trade Policy of the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Rocío Frutos, analysed the trade balance between Spain and Australia. They highlighted the great importance of the Australian recent ratification of the WTO Government Procurement Agreement, which is going to have a direct impact on the more than 1.100 billion Australian dollars that will be invested in the next 10 years.
Beside the reduction of the taxes, the FTA will also cover important aspects like the intellectual property and the mobility of persons, in addition to the preferential position in public tenders. Thus, beside this foreseeable increase in imports and exports, it will involve large investments in very important sectors such as infrastructure, mining, etc.
The FTA EU-Australia negotiators are working to promote transparency and have enabled this website for further information. Taking advantage of the fact that the third round of negotiations will take place in Brussels in July, companies and institutions are being urged to send their comments on the possible barriers they are encountering in their access to the Australian market.
The study case of the session was Navantia´s experience in their access to the Australian market, as well as the view of the Australian company Polyglot, advisors in the establishment of companies on both continents. The legal firm Squire Patton Boggs exposed the greatest challenges and opportunities that could arise from the signature of this treaty.
This event ended with the attendee feedback about their companies’ experiences accessing to the market.
