Submission to the modernisation of Southeast Asian FTAs
Submission overview
The Australian Alliance for Animals thanks the Department for the opportunity to provide a submission to the modernisation of Southeast Asian FTAs.
Animal welfare is of great concern to the Australian community and is an increasingly important component of sustainable development, having implications for all three pillars of sustainability – economic, social, and environmental. International trade agreements play a major role in shaping Australian trade, industry and business practice on a range of matters, including standards of animal welfare.
Our submission highlights strong community expectations that trade agreements should uphold Australian values and not undermine domestic animal welfare standards. Drawing on recent precedents in Australia’s trade agreements with the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, the Alliance urges the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to embed meaningful animal welfare commitments, cooperation mechanisms, and continuous improvement provisions in Southeast Asian FTAs, positioning Australia as a global leader in animal welfare and sustainable trade.
This submission is made on behalf of our six core member organisations – Animals Australia, Compassion in World Farming, Humane World for Animals Australia, World Animal Protection Australia, FOUR PAWS Australia, and Voiceless, the animal protection institute – representing over 2 million Australians collectively.
Read our submission
In this submission, the Alliance for Animals advocates for strong animal welfare provisions, emphasising Australia's potential as a leader in animal welfare standards and sustainable development practices.