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Final Report on the Free Trade Agreement between Australia and the United States of America

5 August 2004

View the report as a single document - (PDF 2075KB)

View the report as separate downloadable parts:


Members of the Committee	(PDF 81KB)

Abbreviations	(PDF 83KB)

Foreword	(PDF 91KB)

The inquiry process	(PDF 122KB)

Introduction and summary	(PDF 94KB)

Chapter 1 - Outcomes	(PDF 231KB)
What is a free trade agreement? The early stages of AUSFTA The broader trade context Anticipated results of AUSFTA CIE 2001 Study Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Vaile's Objectives What the AUSFTA actually delivered for Australia Revised DFAT/CIE Study 2004 Study by Dr Philippa Dee What the AUSFTA delivered for America

Chapter 2 - Trade treaty-making: getting the process right	(PDF 218KB)
Treaties and the parliamentary process The Constitution and the treaty–making process The 1996 reforms Consultation and parliamentary scrutiny of treaties Conclusions Transparency and independent analysis

Chapter 3 - Intellectual Property	(PDF 378KB)
Introduction Background Rationale for inclusion of Intellectual Property in the Free Trade Agreement Objections to the process Australia's obligations under the Intellectual Property Chapter

Chapter 4 - Pharmaceuticals and Health	(PDF 311KB)
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme The current system: Pricing and listing arrangements of the PBS FTA provisions relating to the PBS Areas of concern New pressure points on the PBS Intellectual property and pharmaceuticals Marketing approval for generic drugs Other IP measures affecting pharmaceuticals A sustainable generic drug industry? Blood fractionation services Conclusion

Chapter 5 - Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures	(PDF 195KB)
Introduction The Agreement AUSFTA dispute settlement, the WTO Agreement and the Bilateral Committees The AUSFTA and SPS measures The SPS committees and quarantine standards

Chapter 6 - Local Media Content	(PDF 183KB)
The Agreement - Annex I & II (Non-conforming measures)

Chapter 7 - Manufacturing	(PDF 288KB)
The Agreement Impacts of AUSFTA on manufacturing Rules of Origin Government procurement

Chapter 8 - Investment	(PDF 411KB)
Provisions of AUSFTA relating to investment Select Committee's view

Chapter 9 - Trade in Services	(PDF 138KB)
Financial Services

Chapter 10 - Agriculture	(PDF 143KB)
The Outcome for Agriculture

Recommendations of Labor Senators	(PDF 183KB)

Additional Remarks by Government Senators	(PDF 190KB)

Australian Democrats Dissenting Report	(PDF 221KB)

Recommendations of One Nation	(PDF 188KB)

Appendix 1 - Submissions, tabled documents and additional information	(PDF 120KB)
Submissions Form Letters Tabled Documents Additional Information

Appendix 2 - Public Hearings	(PDF 102KB)

Appendix 3 - Copyright and Patent Law Changes	(PDF 352KB)
Parliamentary Library Research Paper

Appendix 4 - The PBS and the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement (Available in PDF format only)	(PDF 173KB)
Parliamentary Library Research Note