Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement

Domestic Approval Processes for an Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA)

Negotiations on the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (the Agreement) were concluded on 8 February 2004 by the Minister for Trade, the Hon Mark Vaile MP and his US counterpart, Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Zoellick.

The draft text of the Agreement was released publicly in Australia and the United States on 4 March 2004.  Such early publication is a departure from Australia's normal practice which has been to release the text of a treaty only after signature.  For the United States, the draft text of a treaty is required to be published at least 90 days before signature.

The AUSFTA was signed by Australia's Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, and the US Trade Representative, Robert Zoellick, in Washington on 18 May, 2004.

Domestic Approval Process - Australia

In Australia, the draft text of the Agreement was tabled in both Houses of Parliament on 4 March 2004, and referred to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT). JSCOT reviews all proposed treaty actions by Australia and, where appropriate, makes recommendations to the Government. The Agreement was also referred to a Senate Select Committee. Both JSCOT and the Senate Select Committee held public hearings and received public submissions on the FTA. The final reports from both committees found the FTA was in the national interest.