House of Representatives Committees

Joint Standing Committee on Treaties

Committee activities (inquiries and reports)

Report 86 Treaties tabled on 27 March and 9 May 2007
Agreement concerning the Establishing of Global Technical Regulations for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and Parts which can be Fitted and/or be Used on Wheeled Vehicles (Geneva, 25 June 1998)

Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of South Africa (Canberra, 18 October 2006)

Instrument amending the Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union and Instrument amending the Convention of the International Telecommunication Union (Antalya, 24 November 2006)

Protocol additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem (Protocol III) Geneva, 8 December 2005

Agreement between Australia and the Federal Republic of Germany on Social Security to govern persons temporarily employed in the territory of the other State ("Supplementary Agreement"), Concluding Protocol and Implementation Arrangement (Berlin, 9 February 2007)

Agreement on Social Security between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Korea (Canberra, 6 December 2006)

Exchange of Notes constituting an Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of Singapore to amend Annex 2C and Annex 2D of the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) to ensure compliance with changes to the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS2007)

Protocol Amending the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) (Geneva, 6 December 2005)

Framework Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Turkey on Cooperation in Military Fields (Canberra, 13 June 2006)

Print Preliminary Pages (PDF 121KB)

< - Report Home : Chapter 1 - >

August 2007

Canberra

ISBN 978 0 642 78984 6 (printed version)
ISBN 978 0 642 78985 3 (HTML version)

Membership of the Committee
Resolution of appointment
List of abbreviations
List of recommendations

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 1998 Global Agreement concerning Wheeled Vehicles (Geneva, 28 June 1998)
Chapter 3 Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between Australia and the Republic of South Africa
Chapter 4 Instruments amending the International Telecommunication Union Constitution & Convention
Chapter 5 The Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem (Protocol III)
Chapter 6 Supplementary Agreement between Australia and the Federal Republic of Germany on Social Security
Chapter 7 Agreement on Social Security between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Korea
Chapter 8 Amendments to the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) to ensure compliance with changes to the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS2007)
Chapter 9 Protocol amending the TRIPS Agreement (Geneva, 6 December 2005)
Chapter 10 Framework Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Turkey on Cooperation in Military Fields
Appendix A Submissions
Appendix B Exhibits
Appendix C Witnesses

Membership of the Committee

Chair	Dr Andrew Southcott MP
Deputy Chair	Mr Kim Wilkie MP
Members	Hon Dick Adams MP	Senator Andrew Bartlett
	Mr Michael Johnson MP	Senator Simon Birmingham (from 20/6/2007)
	Mr Michael Keenan MP	Senator Carol Brown
	Mr Andrew Laming MP	Senator The Hon Ian Macdonald
	Mrs Margaret May MP	Senator Julian McGauran
	Mr Bernie Ripoll MP	Senator Glenn Sterle
	Hon Bruce Scott MP	Senator Russell Trood (until 20/6/2007)
		Senator Dana Wortley

Committee Secretariat

Secretary	James Rees
Inquiry Secretary	Serica Mackay
Research Officers	Sonya Fladun (from 2/4/07)
	Clare James
Administrative Officers	Heidi Luschtinetz
	Doris Cooley (from 1/5/07)

Resolution of appointment

The Resolution of Appointment of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties allows it to inquire into and report upon:

matters arising from treaties and related National Interest Analyses and proposed treaty actions presented or deemed to be presented to the Parliament;
any question relating to a treaty or other international instrument, whether or not negotiated to completion, referred to the committee by:
1. either House of the Parliament, or
2. a Minister; and
such other matters as may be referred to the committee by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and on such conditions as the Minister may prescribe.

List of abbreviations

ACMA	Australian Communications and Media Authority
ADRs	Australian Design Rules
APT	Asia Pacific Telecommunity
CSIRO	Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Cth	Commonwealth
DEST	Department of Education, Science and Training
DFAT	Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
DOTARS	Department of Transport and Regional Services
FaCSIA	Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
HS2007	Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System 1 January 2007
ICRC	International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC	International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
IP	Intellectual Property
ITU	International Telecommunication Union
JSCOT	Joint Standing Committee on Treaties
MDA	Magen David Adom
MSF	Médecins Sans Frontières
NGO	Non-Government Organisation
NIA	National Interest Analysis
RIS	Regulation Impact Statement
SAFTA	Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement
SCOT	Commonwealth and State/Territory Standing Committee on Treaties
TLG	Technical Liaison Group
TRIPS	Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
UN/ECE	United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
WCO	World Customs Organization
WTO	World Trade Organization

List of recommendations

2 1998 Global Agreement concerning Wheeled Vehicles (Geneva, 28 June 1998)

Recommendation 1

The Committee supports the Agreement concerning the Establishment of Global Technical Regulations for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and Parts which can be Fitted and/or be Used on Wheeled Vehicles and recommends:

that binding treaty action be taken.
that a declaration be issued advising that the Australian Government will not be bound by any of the Regulations annexed to the Agreement until further notification is given.

3 Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between Australia and the Republic of South Africa

Recommendation 2

The Committee supports the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between Australia and the Republic of South Africa and recommends that binding treaty action be taken.

4 Instruments amending the International Telecommunication Union Constitution & Convention

Recommendation 3

The Committee supports the Instrument amending the Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union (Antalya, 24 November 2006) and the Instrument amending the Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union (Antalya, 24 November 2006) and recommends that binding treaty action be taken in both instances.

5 The Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem (Protocol III)

Recommendation 4

The Committee supports the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, relating to the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem and recommends that binding treaty action be taken.

6 Supplementary Agreement between Australia and the Federal Republic of Germany on Social Security

Recommendation 5

The Committee supports the Supplementary Agreement on Social Security between Australia and Germany and recommends that binding treaty action be taken.

7 Agreement on Social Security between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Korea

Recommendation 6

The Committee supports the Agreement on Social Security between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Korea (Canberra, 6 December 2006) and recommends that binding treaty action be taken.

8 Amendments to the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) to ensure compliance with changes to the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS2007)

Recommendation 7

The Committee supports the Exchange of Notes constituting an Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of Singapore to amend Annex 2C and Annex 2D of the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) to ensure compliance with changes to the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS2007) and recommends binding treaty action be taken.

9 Protocol amending the TRIPS Agreement (Geneva, 6 December 2005)

Recommendation 8

The Committee supports the Protocol Amending the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and recommends that binding treaty action be taken.

10 Framework Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Turkey on Cooperation in Military Fields

Recommendation 9

The Committee supports the Framework Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Turkey on Cooperation in Military Fields and recommends that binding treaty action be taken.