CCIWA CEO
Chris Rodwell
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA welcomes the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement coming into force today. This agreement will remove 99% of tariff barriers on products traded by Australia and the UK, meaning Western Australian products like beef, lamb, wine, honey, dairy and manufactured goods, will be able available to UK buyers tariff-free. It will also streamline licensing for qualified people, and better enable the exchange of young people and skilled professionals to best fit the needs of our economies at a time of skills shortage.
This agreement crowns a significant period, marking a new high-point of Australia’s trade liberalisation agenda, adding our second-biggest investor, the UK, to agreements with the European Union and India this year.
Western Australia shares strong bonds of tradition, language, family, history, and rich two-way tourism with the UK. Free trade means Australian exports and services gain access to bigger markets, enabling growth, innovation and job-creation, while for Australian consumers it means access to better and more affordable products.
CCIWA’s international trade and investment centre will work closely with the business community to realise the benefits of the deal. It’s clear that it’s never been easier to establish trade links with our Commonwealth cousins in the UK. As the 6th biggest economy in the world, it is a significant opportunity.
