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As part of the implementation of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) Agreement, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam, in collaboration with the Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) Programme, jointly organized the “ASEAN Regional Workshop on the Transition from a Positive Listing to a Negative Listing Approach in the Schedule of Services Commitments under the AANZFTA” in Ha Noi from 12 to 13 June 2025. The workshop brought together representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Embassies of Australia and New Zealand, various ministries and agencies, provincial Departments of Industry and Trade across Viet Nam, and relevant stakeholders.
Photo: ASEAN Regional Workshop on the Transition from a Positive Listing to a Negative Listing Approach in the Schedule of Services Commitments under the AANZFTA
This regional capacity-building workshop for ASEAN Member States aims to support the implementation of commitments by several ASEAN countries under the Second Protocol to Amend the AANZFTA Agreement, particularly regarding the transition of the schedule of services commitments from the Positive Listing approach to the Negative Listing approach. By enhancing knowledge and capacity in preparing and negotiating schedules of commitments using the Negative Listing approach, the workshop contributes to fostering common understanding and advancing the liberalisation of trade in services in the region. This transition is not merely a technical obligation but also a necessary and progressive change that helps harmonise the format of international agreements, and improves their usability, transparency, and accessibility—particularly for businesses seeking information on service market access commitments.
Viet Nam officially approved the Second Protocol to Amend the AANZFTA through Government Resolution No. 32/NQ-CP dated 20 May 2025, reaffirming its strong commitment to deeper economic integration. Speaking at the opening of the workshop on 12 June, Ms. Nguyen Viet Chi, Deputy Director General of the Multilateral Trade Policy Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam, emphasised: “The development of a region-wide guideline to support ASEAN Member States in effectively implementing their commitments on schedule conversion, in line with the agreed timeline, is both timely and essential. [...] This regional effort marks a critical step towards strengthening implementation capacity and coordination mechanisms to ensure the effective enforcement of the Second Protocol.”
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The AANZFTA is a comprehensive free trade agreement signed in 2009 and entered into force in 2010, covering trade in goods, services, investment, and various areas of cooperation. After more than 15 years of implementation, the Agreement has not only boosted trade and investment flows between ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand but also deepened economic, political, and social ties among the countries in the region. According to ASEAN Secretariat statistics, in 2024, ASEAN’s total trade with Australia and New Zealand reached USD 108.9 billion, while foreign direct investment from Australia and New Zealand into ASEAN amounted to nearly USD 1.7 billion in 2023. To enhance the benefits of the AANZFTA, Parties signed the Second Protocol to Amend the AANZFTA Agreement on the sidelines of the 56th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting held in September 2023. The Protocol officially entered into force on 21 April 2025. |
