ASEAN-5: Announced conclusion of negotiations upgrading AANZFTA including competition regulation

On 13 November 2022, the substantial conclusion of negotiations regarding the upgrade of the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) was announced. The original AANZFTA entered into force in January 2010 and negotiations for its modernisation were launched in September 2020. The upgraded AANZFTA has included new Chapters on Government Procurement, Micro, Small, and Medium-Enterprises, and Trade and Sustainable Development, aimed at supporting electronic commerce and digital transformation in the region. The signing of the upgraded AANZFTA will take place in 2023.