Customs in the Regional Trade Agreements of Australia and New Zealand: Efforts to Improve Customs Instruments and Develop Trade

Abstract

Australian and New Zealand regional trade agreements have improved customs administration and built opportunities for trade-driven economic development. As champions of trade liberalization and economic reform and multilateral trade liberalization, both Australia and New Zealand have increasingly focused on regional trade agreements (notably free trade agreements (FTAs)) to expand opportunities for trade in the Asia-Pacific region. This effort has important implications for customs law and administration. In addition, a renewed focus on efficiency, risk management, and border security means that domestic policy initiatives from within Australia and New Zealand are now increasingly being reflected in the respective countries’ trade negotiating agenda. This article offers a practitioner’s perspective on these and related developments. It updates contemporary developments in Australia and New Zealand and highlights useful lessons. This article begins with a discussion of the importance of trade facilitation through driving efficiency in customs administration. It also offers an overview of the Australian context of customs reform and Australia?s efficiency agenda. It then reviews the current suite of trade agreements in Australia and New Zealand, highlighting the approach taken to customs issues. After addressing the facilitation agenda, revenue issues, and security issues, this article concludes that Australia and New Zealand have been successful in making progress in improving customs instruments and developing trade. It suggests there may be lessons for other trade negotiating agendas in the incremental and under-the-radar approach that has been taken over more than a decade in relation to customs in Australian and New Zealand trade agreements.