ASEAN-5: ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand sign FTA Upgrade including interoperability requirements

On 21 August 2023, the Upgrade to the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) was signed. The agreement introduces provisions to promote interoperability in electronic commerce, including commitments to adopt international standards for e-invoicing and electronic authentication. The agreement also calls for the establishment of measures to support digital trade through interoperable systems, with the objective of reducing compliance costs and enhancing cross-border transaction efficiency. The Upgrade stipulates the mandatory publication of government data in open, machine-readable formats.