USTR Releases Draft Text of Australia FTA
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has posted to its Web site the draft text of the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement (AFTA), which is dated March 1, 2004.
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According to an earlier USTR press release and fact sheet, under the AFTA, among other provisions, more than 99% of U.S. manufactured exports and all U.S. agricultural exports to Australia would become duty-free, certain textile and apparel tariffs would phase out over a maximum of 15 years, etc.
In addition, the USTR notes that the AFTA would phase out above-quota duties for beef over an 18 year period; there would be no change in the above-quota duties on dairy products subject to quotas; and Australia's current quota access for sugar would remain unchanged.
Draft Text Posted to Web Site Contains 23 Chapters, Four Annexes, Etc.
The draft text of the AFTA, which the USTR states is subject to legal review for accuracy, clarity and consistency, contains a preamble, 23 chapters, four annexes, and side letters.
The chapters pertain to such topics as national treatment and market access for goods, agriculture, textiles, rules of origin, customs administration, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, trade remedies/safeguards, etc.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 02/25/04 news, 04022507, for BP summary of the President's Congressional notification on February 13, 2004 of his intent to sign the AFTA. Sources have previously stated that AFTA could possibly take effect as early as January 1, 2005, if all necessary legal steps are completed in 2004.)
Draft Text of AFTA (dated 03/01/04) available at http://www.ustr.gov/new/fta/Australia/text/index.htm
USTR press release (Press Release No. 04-08, dated 02/08/04) available at http://www.ustr.gov/releases/2004/02/04-08.pdf
USTR fact sheet (dated 02/08/04) available at http://www.ustr.gov/releases/2004/02/2004-02-08-factsheet-australia.pdf