The United Kingdom signed the post-Brexit free trade agreement with Australia on Thursday, December 16, a compromise that should open the doors to the Asia-Pacific region, but criticized for uncertain benefit and its environmental impact.

The "historic" deal ratified in a virtual ceremony was the subject of an agreement in principle in June between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, and "negotiators have now finalized all chapters ", according to a statement from the British Department for International Trade.

It is the first agreement obtained by London since its exit from the European Union, effective since January 1, not to be simply a renewal or an adaptation of those which exist between the EU and other countries.

Parliament's endorsement

The text, which will be submitted to parliamentarians for consideration at Westminster, is to generate "10.4 billion extra pounds of trade (...) by eliminating tariffs on 100% of [their] exports".

Trade between the two countries amounted to £ 13.9 billion in 2020, just over 1% of total UK trade.

The agreement sets "new global standards in digital and services, will create new work and travel opportunities for Britons and Australians", underlines the British government.

London boasts a text "tailor-made for the British economy" especially in areas where the country is "a world leader, such as technology and digital".

British professionals in the service sector, including architects, lawyers or researchers, will have access to work visas in Australia: "this is more than Australia has ever offered to any other country in a free trade agreement" , welcomes the Ministry of International Trade.

This compromise "boosts our chances of joining the Trans-Pacific Trade Treaty (CPTPP)", which brings together eleven countries in America and Asia and weighs "8,400 billion pounds in GDP".

Concern of breeders

The NGO Greenpeace for its part deplored an agreement to the text "not yet published" and which will have "not only one of the worst impacts on the climate but with a country which is one of the main world centers of deforestation", which goes against the British environmental objectives of London, which aims for carbon neutrality in 2050.

During negotiations between the two countries, the British agricultural sector was concerned about competition from Australian products, such as beef and lamb, which are cheaper with more industrial farming with more flexible sanitary standards.

To reassure breeders, the text provides for a limit on imports on British soil without customs duties for 15 years, notably through quotas, the British government said in June, which did not provide details on the shutter. agricultural in its press release on Thursday.

With AFP

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