Australia and the European Union have concluded negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement, a proposed treaty designed to make trade and investment between the two regions easier and less costly.
Once in force, the agreement is expected to reduce tariffs, improve access to goods and services markets, support two-way investment and create more predictable rules for companies operating across Australia and Europe. However, the agreement is not yet in force. It must still go through legal review, signature and ratification processes in Australia, the EU and EU Member States before businesses can rely on its final rules.
To help businesses understand what this development may mean in practice, ETL GLOBAL Member Sheltons Group has prepared an overview of the proposed agreement and its possible relevance for companies trading, investing or planning future growth between Australia and the EU. For European SMEs, the firm provides legal services from Sheltons Group Legal, its own Australian incorporated law firm in London, giving businesses access to market-specific advice in a European time zone.
For further background, you can also read the related article published by the European Commission.
