(London) The United Kingdom on Thursday signed a post-Brexit free trade deal with Australia, an agreement that should open doors to the Asia-Pacific region, but criticized for uncertain gains and its environmental impact.

The “historic” deal ratified in a virtual ceremony was the subject of an agreement in principle between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison in June, and “negotiators have now finalized all chapters”, a British official said. According to the statement, the Department of International Trade.

This is the first agreement London has achieved since leaving the European Union. effective since^Is January, only those existing between the EU and other countries should not be renewed or adapted.

The text, which will be presented to lawmakers at Westminster for consideration, is expected to generate “an additional £10.4 billion in trade”. […] 100%. by abolishing the duty on [leurs] export”.

In 2020, trade between the two countries amounted to £13.9 billion, which is just 1% of the UK’s total trade.

The agreement “sets new global standards in digital and services, creating new work and travel opportunities for Britons and Australians”, underlines the British government.

London claims a text “tailored for the British economy”, especially in areas where the country is “a world leader, such as technology and digital”.

British professionals in the services sector, especially architects, lawyers or researchers, will have access to work visas in Australia: “this is more than Australia has to any other country in a free trade agreement”, welcomes Ministry of International Trade .

The agreement enhances our prospects of joining the “Trans-Pacific Trade Treaty (CPTPP)”, which brings together eleven countries in the Americas and Asia and weighs “8,400 billion pounds in GDP”.

The chairman of CBI Employers’ Association, Karan Billimorian, hailed a “comprehensive and modern” agreement that “opens up new frontiers for British companies”.

Breeders’ concern

The United Kingdom has already obtained agreements with the European Union, its largest trading partner, Japan, New Zealand, or with European countries that are not members of the European Union, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

The country is in discussions with India and started talks for a free trade agreement with six Arab Gulf countries in early October and without pausing for the time being, also seeks to strengthen its trade ties with the United States. is demanding. from Washington.

Boris Johnson, citing his concept of “Global Britain” or “Planetary Britain”, called for leaving the European Union by promising that Britain would have more economic potential than going it alone.

The NGO Greenpeace, for its part, denounced a deal “not yet published” for text and that would have “one of the worst impacts not only on the climate, but with a country that is one of the main causes of deforestation.” Centers”, which goes against London’s British environmental objectives, which aim for carbon neutrality in 2050.

During negotiations between the two countries, the British agricultural sector was concerned about competition from Australian products, such as beef and lamb, which are cheaper with more industrial farming with more flexible sanitation standards.

To reassure breeders, the text provides for 15 years a limit on imports into British soil without customs duties, specifically through quotas, said the British government in June, which did not provide details on the shutters. Agriculture in its press release on Thursday.

London and Canberra indicated that they wanted to deepen their cooperation on the security aspect as well, as evidenced by the partnership concluded between the United States, called Aukas, which concluded the contract for the purchase of French submarines. The cancellation provoked the anger of Paris. 55 billion euros worth with Australians.