You are here: Home> Increasing market access > Reducing global trade barriers
REDUCING GLOBAL TRADE BARRIERS
MAINTAIN AND LIBERALISE ACCESS TO WORLD MEAT MARKETS
MLA has continued its efforts to maintain and liberalise access to meat markets around the globe for Australian red meat exporters.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Round negotiations, underway since 2001, may continue to offer prospects for reducing global trade barriers – although progress is now uncertain given the collapse of Ministerial talks in July 2008. In conjunction with industry partners we have maintained a close and constructive relationship with Australia’s trade negotiators, provided input into negotiating positions and continually reinforced our priorities both within Australia and in international forums. Of highest priority in the WTO discussions is the need to secure improved access for sheepmeat into the European Union. In this regard we continue our proactive trade advocacy campaign aimed at highlighting the benefits of sheepmeat trade reform amongst WTO trade negotiators and officials.
Accompanying this work has been our input into the Government’s free trade agreement (FTA) agenda.
Australia completed an FTA with Chile this year resulting in the elimination of 6 per cent tariff barriers on red meat. The Government is also currently involved in FTA negotiations with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Malaysia, the Middle East-based Gulf Co-operation Council, China and Japan. An economic feasibility study was completed with South Korea during the year that indicated positive benefits for both trading nations. We provided detailed submissions for similar studies with Indonesia and India. Our interaction continues across the entire FTA portfolio to ensure the red meat industry’s preferred outcomes are firmly in the Government’s sights.
Since the outcomes of the feasibility study, an imperative for the beef industry is the pursuit of an FTA with South Korea. The recent Korea–United States FTA will see Australia’s major competitor in the Korean market gain a preferential tariff advantage. Once implemented, the 40 per cent tariff on US beef will be reduced to zero over 15 years. Of paramount importance is the need to minimise any competitive disadvantage by securing parity of access for Australian beef – we have requested that negotiations commence as soon as possible.
Also of strategic importance is securing an outcome for beef from the Australia–Japan FTA. MLA has, and will continue to work closely with our Embassy in Tokyo and officials in Canberra to extol the benefits of beef trade liberalisation in our premier beef export market.
In addition, we have worked in a number of markets to address a range of technical impediments to trade. Formal collaboration with industry and government is ongoing and we will shortly embark on canvassing key stakeholders regarding their perceptions of our contribution to market access reform.
