Newsletter: 18 September 2006

• Register Now for TAFE Directors Australia’s National Conference – Adelaide, 13-15 Nov
• Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) FTA Analysis
• National User Choice Survey of RTOs (Request from DEST)

Register Now for TAFE Directors Australia’s National Conference – Adelaide, 13-15 Nov

Registration forms and conference details can be found at www.tda.edu.au. Early bird registrations close 7th October.

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Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) FTA Analysis

(This article is supplied by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Mr Mark Vaile, announced on 21 June the Australian Government would give close consideration to the Gulf Co-operation Council’s (GCC) wish to negotiate a GCC wide Free Trade Agreement.
This follows a decision by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that the Australian bilateral FTA negotiations with them be incorporated into the GCC negotiations.
The GCC consists of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The GCC is an important and growing market for Australia with exports of goods worth $4.1 billion in 2005.
Australia-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Call for Public Submissions
DFAT is calling for public submissions and comments on issues relevant to the possibility of an Australia-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at some stage in the future. These submissions will inform a study into the Australia-GCC economic relationship, and assist the Australian Government in assessing the rationale for possible FTA negotiations with the GCC.

Interested parties are encouraged to lodge submissions by Tuesday 10 October 2006

The decision to conduct this study reflects Australia's growing relationship with the GCC.

Submissions should identify specific market access issues and/or practical trade and investment impediments that affect, investment flows and goods and services trade with the GCC.

Market access issues for goods might include: tariffs; tariff rate quotas; the role of importing state trading enterprises; import licensing; technical regulations and standards; customs administration and quarantine requirements.

Market access issues for services might include: issues relating to the recognition of qualifications; business mobility issues, such as provisions for visas; and any difficulties involved in the establishment of a commercial presence in the GCC.

Input on issues which cut across sectors, such as intellectual property, transparency of government regulations, or government procurement practices are also welcomed.

Consultations

Business consultations are also being organised in capital cities over the coming weeks (Perth 21 - 22 September, Melbourne 25 - 26 September, Adelaide 27 September, Brisbane 27 September and Sydney 28 - 29 September). Businesses based in Tasmania and the Northern Territory will be contacted via phone. Should you wish to participate in a dedicated session with other state colleagues during the capital city based business consultations.

Should you not be available to meet us at one of the above occassions we would welcome the opportunity to speak with you via teleconference before 10 October. We encourage public submissions before this date to inform our study, but appreciate there may not be sufficient time. Given that, we would be happy to accept public submissions into the future should negotiations be launched.

Making a Submission

Interested parties are encouraged to lodge submissions by Tuesday 10 October 2006. All submissions will be made publicly available on the DFAT website unless the author specifies otherwise.

Submissions or comments may be lodged electronically to gcc.analysis@dfat.gov.au or by post at the following address: