Economic response to COVID-19

The Australian Government has set aside $1 billion through the COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund to support communities, regions and industries most significantly affected by the economic impacts of coronavirus, including those heavily reliant on sectors such as aviation, agriculture, tourism, arts and education.

The $1 billion Relief and Recovery Fund forms part of the Australian Government’s broader economic response to COVID-19 to provide timely support to affected workers, businesses, sectors and the community. The Deputy Prime Minister administers the Fund.

Visit business.gov.au for the latest information about government support for Australian businesses, including through the COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund.

The Australian Government is also pursuing our economic interests during COVID-19 through international cooperation, including ensuring supply chains continue to deliver essential goods and services to combat the pandemic, and making sure international trade can support economic recovery.

Joint ministerial statements

• Statement on COVID-19 by APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (5 May 2020)
• Joint ministerial statement on action plans to facilitate the flow of goods and services as well as the essential movement of people
• Joint ministerial statement on maintaining open and connected supply chains

COVID-19 related statements made by WTO Members

Minister Birmingham participated in a meeting of the Ottawa Group on 15 June 2020 to discuss reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the context of COVID-19. The Group subsequently released a Joint Statement Focusing Action on COVID-19 which establishes a series of agreed key actions to support an inclusive, sustainable and resilient global recovery. (The 13 members of the Ottawa Group are Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the European Union, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland.)

• WTO statement on COVID-19 and the multilateral trading system [PDF]
• Responding to the COVID−19 Pandemic with Open and Predictable Trade in Agricultural and Food Products [PDF 90 KB]

Exporters and importers

DFAT can help businesses looking to export or import with information about free trade agreements and other trade agreements.

DFAT also welcomes views and submissions from businesses and other interested domestic stakeholders on current negotiations and agreements already in force. Contact details for particular agreements can be found through the menu.

Getting started with exporting or importing

• How to get free trade agreement tariff cuts
• Find export grants and financial assistance
• About intellectual property

Contact DFAT

• Who to contact with trade enquiries
• Request customised import or export statistics
• Report non-tariff measures
• Make a public submission

For all other exporting and importing information, please refer to the Austrade website.