ISDS Case Map
Australia
Masahiko Yamada, Japan's new agriculture minister, has blogged about how the Australian free trade agreement would destroy Japanese agriculture. Australian farm industry leaders are in Tokyo trying to change his mind.
Japan's new Prime Minister has installed an eccentric arch protectionist and former beef and pork farmer in the agriculture and fisheries portfolio, dealing a blow to Australia's hopes of finalising a free trade agreement.
Australia Tuesday denied that its planned 40 percent mining tax would hurt attempts to strike a free-trade agreement with China, a key market for the country's resources.
Australia and South Korea opened a new round of trade talks today, including “sensitive” areas such as agriculture and the automotive industry, Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean said.
No big breakthroughs have occurred in the five years and 14 rounds of Australia-China FTA negotiations, and none is expected in the next round, in Beijing from June 28.
Australian trade minister Simon Crean is here to push a free trade agreement with India. Besides, he is talking to Australian companies in India to get an assessment of the barriers they face. In an interview, he also tells Sidhartha the new mining tax would not affect foreign investors looking at Australia. Edited excerpts:
Mining shares plunged last week after Kevin Rudd, Australia's prime minister, proposed a 40pc tax on mining profits, arguing that Australia's mining boom was benefiting shareholders based abroad
Australia Thursday said it had taken a major step towards a free trade agreement with India, with a study carried showing a bilateral deal would offer "significant economic benefits" to both sides.
A joint study finds that an Australia-India FTA will bring billions of dollars to both countries.
India has managed to convince Australia to keep issues like environment, labour and government procurement out of the bilateral free trade agreement the two countries will begin discussing soon.
