The Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement was signed at Canberra on 28 March 1983 by Lionel Bowen, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, and Laurie Francis, New Zealand High Commissioner. Two copies. Article 26 deems it to have entered into force on 1 January 1983, after the Heads of Agreement of 14 December 1982. It replaces, as a framework, the New Zealand–Australia Free Trade Agreement of 31 August 1965, without being that earlier instrument.

Article 1: to strengthen the broader relationship, expand mutually beneficial free trade, eliminate barriers gradually, and develop trade under fair competition. Article 2: the free-trade area is Australia and New Zealand; the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau and Australian external territories only by exchange of notes (Article 23). Article 3: origin, at principle level, for goods wholly produced or last processed with a substantial share of factory cost in the Area; the formula is not copied as a tariff gazetteer.

Article 4: tariffs are to be reduced and eliminated within five years of the deemed entry into force; they shall not be increased; they may be cut faster. Article 5: quantitative import restrictions and tariff quotas are to be liberalised progressively. The annexes form an integral part. Article 20 keeps some 1965 firm-level arrangements on a transitional basis.

Article 21: customs harmonisation by consultation. Article 22: ministers annually; consultations on written request; a general review in 1988, including the aim of eliminating quantitative restrictions by 30 June 1995. A later protocol on accelerating free trade in goods removed tariffs and quotas by 1 July 1990, ahead of the original timetable. This is not a tariff-evasion handbook.

An exchange of letters the same day temporarily suspended Article 7 for certain fruit-juice products pending an Australian legislative amendment. GATT remains the multilateral framework named in the preamble.

Cover: the signing in Canberra by Lionel Bowen and Laurie Francis; the caption does not restate the date. Wikimedia Commons, free licence.

Sources consulted: Closer Economic Relations; Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (ATS 1983 No. 2).