Moving forward

The ASEAN FTA recognises the importance of establishing a framework to directly support implementation of the Agreement and to enable maximum commercial benefit to be derived from it.

Joint Committee

The ASEAN FTA establishes an "FTA Joint Committee" to review the implementation and operation of the FTA and recommend any amendments to it. The FTA Joint Committee will meet within one year of the FTA entering into force and thereafter as the Parties agree.

In addition to the FTA Joint Committee, a number of specialist committees are also established under the ASEAN FTA to facilitate the ongoing interaction of experts, including a Committee on Trade in Goods, a sub-Committee on ROO, a sub-Committee on SPS Matters, a sub-Committee on technical barriers to trade, a Committee on Trade in Services, an Investment Committee and an Intellectual Property Committee.

These committees will review and monitor the operation of their respective specialist areas, provide a forum to discuss any problems that might arise in the implementation of the Agreement and identify prospects for future joint coordination and strengthening of links. The requirement to convene each committee varies between the specialist areas.

Another major advantage of the committee process is the ability for NZ companies to ensure that concerns that they may have could be communicated through official channels to the government of the country in question.  The committee process is a measure to be used when company to company avenues cannot deal with the matter or concern.

Cooperation

An important part of the ASEAN FTA is the creation of a framework for trade and investment economic cooperation designed to enable maximum commercial benefit to be derived from it.  The main objective of economic cooperation is to assist ASEAN countries come to terms with the technical requirements needed to implement the commitments made during negotiations and embodied in the treaty.  Such activities are beneficial to New Zealand companies as they allow ASEAN officials, particularly border officials, to understand the business values of New Zealand companies.

A key platform for such cooperation is the establishment of an initial work programme that focuses on the provision of implementation support and capacity building in eight mutually agreed areas as follows:

• ROO and other Aspects of Implementation of Tariff Commitments;
• SPS Measures;
• Standards, Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures;
• Services;
• Investment;
• Intellectual Property;
• Sectoral Integration; and
• Customs.

Review

A general review of the ASEAN FTA will take place in 2016, and every five years thereafter. This review provides the opportunity to accelerate or expand the commitments under the ASEAN FTA.

Contact

Further information about the implementation of this agreement can be obtained from New Zealand's AANZFTA Implementation Contact:

Peter Fa'afiu

AANZFTA/Malaysia FTA Implementer

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)

peter.faafiu@mfat.govt.nz