OECD: Ministerial Council Meeting, Paris, 29-30 May

Ministers from OECD (and other) countries will meet under the theme of "Jobs, Equality and Trust" in Paris next week. Australia will participate as Vice-Chair (together with Estonia, and Norway as Chair) in talks to include concrete actions to boost growth and competitiveness and seize the benefits of global value chains.

Web link: OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, Paris, 29-30 May 2013

Informal meeting of Trade Ministers to discuss WTO negotiations, Paris, 30 May

Immediately following the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, Dr Emerson will host an informal meeting of trade ministers to discuss the WTO negotiations and progress towards a package for the 9th WTO Ministerial Conference in Bali in December.

Web link: 9th WTO Ministerial Conference in Bali, December 2013

TPP stakeholder consultations: Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra

DFAT is holding stakeholder consultations for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement following the 17th round of negotiations (15–24 May in Peru). Consultations are scheduled for Sydney (29 May), Melbourne (30 May), Adelaide (27 June), Perth (28 June) and Canberra (2 July). RSVP essential (go to the 'News' tab on DFAT's TPP page).

Web link:  TPP stakeholder consultations

Parliamentary Secretary for Trade visits Chile and Colombia

Parliamentary Secretary for Trade Kelvin Thomson is taking part in the Ministerial Summit of the Pacific Alliance in Colombia this week.  It was founded in 2011 by Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru and Australia became an observer in late 2012.  The Alliance is committed to liberalising and harmonising members' economies and markets.

Media release: Parliamentary Secretary for Trade Visits Chile and Colombia

OECD: reducing the costs of trade

The OECD calculates that “a 1% reduction in trade costs could increase world income by US$40 billion”.  The OECD’s latest paper synthesises all its work on cost factors across the entire trade chain.  It advocates a comprehensive approach to policy interventions, given the interdependence of cost factors and prevalence of global value chains.

Report: OECD - Trade Costs: What Have We learned? A Synthesis Report

Government procurement and regional trade agreements: OECD survey

Looking at 47 regional trade agreements (RTAs) with government procurement provisions, the report finds that, in general, non- parties to the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) have achieved the same level of market access commitments in their RTAs as the GPA, in services in particular commitments are even more extensive.

Report: Government procurement and regional trade agreements

UK Prime Minister calls for "no exceptions" in EU-US trade talks

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said all items should be on the negotiating table when the EU and US begin talks on a trade and investment deal this summer.  His comments have raised questions over how certain trade topics should be treated in discussions with Washington, and are part of a wider debate over Britain's future in the EU.

Report: UK Prime Minister calls for "no exceptions" in EU-US trade talks

Did you know?

We enjoy a Colombian cuppa - Australia imported 4.1 million kilograms of coffee beans from Colombia in 2012 – that's enough to make around 586 million cups of coffee!

Visit the DFAT trade portal for more on Australian trade, including FTA updates and the latest trade statistics.