Australia

News  |  March 10, 2020

Australia trade deals with Hong Kong, Peru enter into force, Indonesia agreement ratified

The new year saw the entry into force of two new trade deals involving Australia, namely those involving Peru and Hong Kong. The two agreements both feature investment chapters and were ratified in the Australian legislature in late December, together with a separate accord involving Indonesia.

News  |  June 27, 2019

Australia inks new BIT with Uruguay, trade and investment deals with Hong Kong

Australia has signed a new BIT with Uruguay and an investment deal with Hong Kong. The agreements feature some changes or clarifications to past deals’ provisions on ISDS and on government regulations designed to fulfill public policy objectives, such as health.

News  |  April 23, 2019

CPTPP Update: Trade deal now in force for seven signatories, more on the way

The CPTPP entered into force on December 30, 2018, when it took effect for Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore. Vietnam followed suit on January 14, 2019.

News  |  April 23, 2019

Australia and Indonesia sign economic partnership agreement, including ISDS mechanism

Australia and Indonesia have now signed their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), bringing to a close a negotiating process that began in November 2010. The two countries signed the agreement on March 4, 2019. The IA-CEPA also includes an investment chapter and four related annexes, which cover an arbitrators’ code of conduct; expropriation and compensation; foreign investment policy; and public debt.

News  |  April 24, 2018

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) signed

On March 8, 2018, the CPTPP was signed in Santiago, Chile. The free trade agreement involves 11 countries in the Pacific region: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

News  |  February 29, 2016

Philip Morris fails in PCA arbitration against Australia over plain packaging laws

On December 17, 2015, a tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued its jurisdictional award in the case of tobacco giant Philip Morris against Australia over the country’s tobacco plain packaging legislation.