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Inquiry launched into Australia free trade deal

17 December 2021

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee launches inquiry into the impact the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) the government has signed with Australia will have on farmers, food producers, retailers and consumers.

The Government has said the arrangement with Australia will “boost the economy by £2.3 billion and add £900 million to household wages in the long-run”. It has further described it as a “gateway” to the UK joining a wider trading arrangement called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

This Australia FTA is the first ‘new’ trade deal the UK Government has signed since leaving the European Union (EU) - as opposed to ‘rolled over’ agreements based on former deals the UK had with different parts of the world when it was an EU member.

The inquiry will examine, among other things:

  • the impact the agreement will have on consumers, farmers, food producers and retailers;
  • whether the deal will reflect the UK's commitment to high animal welfare and environmental practice; and
  • the implications of the FTA for future trade deals with other parts of the world.

More details about the inquiry and the full terms of reference for the committee’s work in this area can be found here.

The Government published the text of its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Australia on 16 December 2021. This followed the publication of the agreement in principle in June 2021.

The committee welcomes written evidence, to inform its inquiry, from experts and stakeholders likely to be affected by the new trading arrangements. Guidance on giving evidence to a select committee of the House of Commons is available here.

Further information

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