International trade opportunities are being highlighted in seminars and events throughout Queensland's Export Week 2010 until Friday, October 22.

ADG's Tammy Halter (centre) is a previous Qld Export Award winner.

Trade Minister, Stephen Robertson, said Queensland companies stood to gain valuable insights from the Export Week 2010 program with a range of activities held across the State to recognise, promote and assist Queensland companies to go global.

A highlight of Export Week 2010, organised by Trade and Investment Queensland, will be the presentation of the Premier of Queensland's Export Awards, now in their 21st year.

"These awards are Queensland's highest recognition of export achievement," Mr Robertson said.

"In 2009-10, Queensland companies exported more than $42billion in merchandise exports, providing valuable income to our economy."

Mr Robertson said the Export Week 2010 program includes the Trade Commissioners across Queensland regional program with visits to Cairns, Townsville, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Mackay, Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Logan, Toowoomba, Brisbane Northside and Mount Isa.

The program involves Chris Rodwell (Trade and Investment Commissioner for the Americas); Zijian Zhang (Trade and Investment Commissioner for China); Andrew Craig (Trade and Investment Commissioner for Europe); Elizabeth Sullivan (Trade and Investment Commissioner for Taiwan); Tak Adachi (Trade and Investment Commissioner for Japan); Hassan Miski (Trade and Investment Commissioner for Saudi Arabia); Susan Rae (Trade and Investment Commissioner for the United Arab Emirates); Rod Solomons (Trade and Investment Commissioner for India); Sang Min Woo (Trade and Investment Commissioner for Korea); Simon Lee (Trade and Investment Commissioner for Hong Kong); Jeremy Blockey (Special Trade Representative to Papua New Guinea); Oka Simanjuntak (business development manager for Indonesia); Jun Xu (business development for Guangzhou); and Martin Vega (senior business development manager based in Chile).

"The program includes several Brisbane-based events, including the business breakfast and export showcase, market updates, Getting Export Smart workshops, an investment luncheon, and sector specific events including aviation, creative industries, education and training, and water management," MrRobertson said.

"There will be a number of seminars focusing on export markets including business opportunities in the Americas, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and China, India, Korea, Papua New Guinea, Africa and the Middle East.

Mr Robertson said that as part of Export Week 2009, Queensland companies had attended some 45 events held across the State, including networking opportunities, seminars, and market information sessions.

"Export Week 2010 will highlight the significance of exporting to the Queensland economy and celebrate the success of Queensland exporters.

"Through strong support for exporting in our State, we are taking another step towards delivering the jobs that we want for Queenslanders. I invite exporters, and those considering global business as a future option, to come and make the most of Export Week activities," Mr Robertson said.

"Activities held during Export Week will help to maintain and grow Queensland's overseas exports."

http://www.export.qld.gov.au

Australia

's largest free trade agreement - the Association of South East Asian Nations-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) - enjoyed its first working day on January 4, 2010.

Trade Minister Simon Crean (left) presents the Australian Exporter of the Year Award to Neil O'Sullivan of Queensland's NOJA Power. New opportunities abound through AANZFTA.

The historic agreement will span 12 economies with over 600 million people and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $3.1trillion.

For Queensland, the gains are expected to be particularly strong in the education secotor, where there is, for example, an immediate expansion from seven to 36 subject areas that Australian education providers can deliver in Vietnam.

AANZFTA is Australia's first multi-country FTA and the most comprehensive FTA ever concluded by ASEAN.

"The commencement of this agreement is a major milestone and opens up significant opportunities for Australian businesses in one of the fastest growing regions in the world," Federal Trade Minister Simon Crean said.

"With Asia leading the global recovery and six out of 10 ASEAN markets expected to grow at rates at least double the forecast OECD average in 2010, there is great potential for Australian exporters to enter new markets."

"This agreement is also an important building block towards deepening Australia's economic integration with the dynamic Asian region.

"As of today, the agreement covers around 70 percent of Australia's trade with ASEAN countries with which we do not have bilateral FTAs," Mr Crean said.

The agreement includes:

* The immediate elimination of a 10 percent tariff on $9.6million of Australian processed cheese exports (in 2008) to Malaysia.

* The immediate elimination of a 5 percent tariff on $7.2million of exports of fresh grapes to Malaysia.

* The immediate elimination of a 3 percent tariff on $22million of wheat exports to the Philippines.

* The immediate elimination of a 5 percent tariff on $3million of sheep meat exports to the Philippines

"By 2020, the deal will eliminate tariffs on 96 percent of our current exports to ASEAN nations," Mr Crean said.

ASEAN accounted for 15 percent of Australia's trade, valued at $83billion in 2008-2009. This is as large as Australia's trade with China, Australia's largest trading partner.

About 42 percent of Australia's total exporter base - about 18,500 Australian exporters - trade with ASEAN.

In addition to Australia and New Zealand, AANZFTA has entered into force for the following ASEAN countries: Brunei, Burma, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.

Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand are expected to ratify the agreement in the early part of this year.

"I urge the Australian business community to take full advantage of the many benefits that this far-reaching agreement has to offer," Mr Crean said.

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