TRADE FOCUS 
Minister Addresses International Students
Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, reinforced the importance of trade as an economic stimulus in the current global economic downturn when he met in Canberra recently with a group of young Foreign Service officials from developing countries. The 14 officials from Bangladesh, East Timor, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Liberia, Malaysia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tuvalu and Vietnam were taking part in a two-month training block in the 2009 DFAT Graduate Training Program, under fellowships provided by AusAID's Australian Leadership Development Program.
Mr Crean also emphasised to the officials the importance of concluding the WTO Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations as the most effective and potent trade measure that could be taken to promote world economic growth. He said that he hoped the contacts that young officials would make among themselves, and with their Australian counterparts, would "stand you in good stead for the rest of your careers."
Australian trade policy and news
Latest trade news
The Australian Government will spend $20 million over the next four years to deliver a new international brand for Australia. Building Brand Australia will aim to capture the energy and vibrancy of contemporary Australia and present it to the world. "The new Brand project is about selling Australia to the world," Trade Minister Simon Crean said.
- Trade in Services 2008 now available.
- Appointment of APEC Ambassador
- Trade 2020 to Provide New Vision for Australia's Global Engagement
More Trade Focus articles
- Trade: the 2009-10 Budget, 12 May
- Trade Minister Visit to Shanghai and Inland China
- December 2008 Trade Surplus: $589 million
- High food prices, food security and the international trading system
DFAT Submissions
- DFAT Submission to the National Aviation Policy Statement
- DFAT Submission to the Review of Australia's Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industry (pdf)
- DFAT Submission to the Review of the National Innovation System (pdf)
- DFAT Submission to the Review of Australia's Automotive Industry 2008 (pdf)
Seeking Submissions
- DFAT continues to welcome submissions and comments on PACER Plus.
- Do you have a view on the development of a Certificates of Origin Accreditation Scheme?
- Do you have a view on a possible Free Trade Agreement between Australia and the Republic of Korea?
- DFAT continues to seek public submissions and comments on Australia's participation in TPP negotiations.
- Do you have a view on the proposed Australia-India Free Trade Agreement?
- Theft of intellectual property is a growing problem in world trade. A new standard of intellectual property (IP) enforcement to combat the high levels of trade in counterfeit and pirated goods worldwide is being proposed.
More information on Australia's trade performance
Trade balance seasonally adjusted
- July 2009 (pdf)
