Submission to DFAT on the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement

February 24, 2020: Read AFTINET's submission to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the proposed Australia-UK free trade agreement. The submission outlines concerns relating to:

• The lack of transparency and democratic accountability in trade negotiations
• The inclusion of Investor-State Dispute Settlement provisions
• The inclusion of rules that extend intellectual property rights on patents and copyright
• The potential impact of the trade in services provisions on essential services
• The potential risks of government procurement provisions
• The potential risks of electronic commerce provisions
• The potential impact of provisions relating to trade in financial services
• Compliance with International Human Rights and Labour Rights law and Environmental standards