ASEAN Australia Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) Panel Discussion and Networking event

Monday, 17 June 2019 | 6.00-8.30pm
Dentons | Level 16, 77 Castlereigh Street, Sydney

This ASEAN event is jointly organised by AMBC NSW & ACT, Australia Thailand Business Council (ATBC), Australia Philippines Business Council (APBC) and Australia Indonesia Business Council (AIBC) and Dentons.

The aim for the evening is to help members of the respective business councils to better understand and leverage FTAs and EPAs (Economic Partnership Agreements) to trade, invest and/or provide services to organisations whom operate in ASEAN member countries.

Key discussion topics for the evening include:

• Key features of FTAs and EPAs
• Negotiation and implementation challenges of FTAs and EPAs
• FTA and EPA forward plans
• Dealing with FTA and EPA related commercial disputes
• Application of existing FTAs and EPAs with other FTAs under negotiation such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
• Implications of rising trade protectionism/disputes

Our panel consists of three (5) highly knowledgeable leaders in their field comprising:

• Caroline McCarthy, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Assistant Secretary, FTA Investment, Digital Trade & Other Issues Branch
• Ranitya Kusumadewi, Indonesian Ministry of Trade, Deputy Director, ASEAN Negotiations
• Chester Brown, University of Sydney, Professor of International Law and International Arbitration
• Sandra Seno-Alday, University of Sydney, Professor, Sydney Southeast Asia Centre
• Gary Dawes, NSW Business Chamber, Manager, International Business

Moderated by Lean Soh, Vice President of the Australia Malaysia Business Council and Project Officer with the NSW Department of Industry.