On 13 September, the European Commission recommended that the EU opens trade negotiations with Australia. As well as securing access to the Australian market, the Commission wants to secure a deal that will provide a solid platform for deeper integration with wider Asia-Pacific value chains.

Alison Burrows is the chief negotiator for the Australia – EU free trade agreement (FTA). Before taking up this role, she was the First Assistant Secretary in the Office of Trade Negotiations. Ms Burrows was the Australian Ambassador to Cambodia from 2013 to 2016. She was the lead services and investment negotiator in the Japan, Korea, China and India FTAs from 2007 to 2013; and the lead agriculture negotiator in the US FTA, 2002 to 2003. Ms Burrows served as the Deputy Head of Mission in Brussels from 2004 to 2007, and has also worked in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

This is an opportunity to present the Irish business position and receive a high-level briefing on the proposed FTA which will include provisions on: import duties; rules of origin; standards and conformity assessments; services; public procurement; and digital trade. If instead you think this would be of interest to a colleague in your organisation, feel free to share the invitation.

The roundtable will take place on 27 October 2017, 11.00am at Ibec offices on Lower Baggot Street. If you would like to join us, please confirm your attendance to Andra Bodoni – andra.bodoni@ibec.ie