Australia-India ECTA (Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement)

 India unhappy with many Free Trade Agreements (FTA) it signed, walked out of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Australia is one of the 15 countries that signed RCEP. Now India signed separate bilateral agreement with Australia. Many of India's concerns appear to have been addressed in this ECTA.

SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES

        Where certification is required for trade in a product, the importing Party shall ensure that such certification is applied, in meeting its SPS objectives, only to the extent necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health. The importing Party shall accept certificates issued by the competent authorities of the exporting Party that are in compliance with the regulatory requirements of the importing Party. Import checks, conducted in accordance with the importing Party’s laws, regulations, and sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, shall be based on the sanitary and phytosanitary risk associated with importations. The import checks shall be carried out in a manner that is least trade-restrictive and without undue delay.

TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE

        Where technical regulations are required and relevant international standards exist or their completion is imminent, each Party shall use them, or relevant parts of them, as a basis for its technical regulations except when such international standards or relevant parts would be an ineffective or inappropriate means for the fulfilment of the legitimate objectives pursued, for instance because of fundamental climatic or geographical factors or fundamental technological problems. Where a Party does not use such international standards, or their relevant parts, as a basis for its technical regulations and these may have a significant effect on its trade with the other Party, it shall, upon request of the other Party, explain the reasons therefore.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

       Each Party shall encourage the mutual recognition of the relevant qualifications, licensing or certification requirements, including in regulated or licensed occupations under various industry and business sectors. Each Party shall encourage its relevant bodies to organise or facilitate bilateral discussions on occupational skill sets and standards in specific regulated or licensed occupations, based on the request of the other Party. The Parties shall endeavour to work towards sharing of information on the skill shortage and skill sets desirable for those occupations.