The negotiations towards ambitious new free trade agreements (FTAs) between the EU and Australia and the EU and New-Zealand will hopefully pave the way towards enhanced sustainable trade relations with the Asia-Pacific region, says global accountancy body ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants).

Soo Yee Leong , ACCA’s Director for ASEAN and ANZ, says: “Australia and New Zealand are among the world's fastest-growing developed economies and the EU is already Australia’s second and New Zealand’s third biggest trade partner. Free trade is indispensable to growth and we are convinced that the FTAs among like-minded partners in providing new market access opportunities for businesses on both sides, particularly in terms of services and investment will help to deliver jobs, smart and inclusive growth and investment, benefitting EU businesses and citizens alike.

“This is particularly relevant for ACCA as a global body, especially since two year ago, we joined forces with CA ANZ, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, to form a strategic alliance to shape and lead the future of our profession together. This alliance represents the voice of more than  800,000 members and future professional accountants around the world - that’s 315,000 members and 486,000 students across 181 countries -, who share the commitment to uphold the highest ethical, professional and technical standards.

The ACCA-CAANZ alliance is working on  joint initiatives, looking at the wider components of the profession, and the different areas of learning that people in the finance profession more widely might need. One of the key elements of the alliance is to allow members to use their qualifications in a number of different locations, improving their international mobility. And for that we need to ensure that everyone has the right qualifications and skills and a huge part of this lays on digital delivery, which knows no border”.

“ACCA has currently some 7,000 members and students in Australia and New-Zealand, and we believe  they can help both sides benefit from this future agreement, which will build on the ongoing trade negotiations with several Asia-Pacific countries and cover areas close to the hearts of our members, such as labour and environmental matters, trade facilitation, and small business, thus contributing to shape sustainable global trade. This will undoubted by be discussed at the forthcoming World Congress of Accountants, to be co-hosted by CA ANZ in Sydney in November”, Soo-Yee Leong concludes.

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About ACCA

For media enquiries, contact: Cecile Bonino, Head of EU Affairs, Tel: +32 (0) 2 286 11 37, cecile.bonino@accaglobal.com

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants, offering business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.

ACCA supports its 200,000 members and 486,000 students in 180 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers. ACCA works through a network of 101 offices and centres and more than 7,200 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through its public interest remit, ACCA promotes appropriate regulation of accounting and conducts relevant research to ensure accountancy continues to grow in reputation and influence.

ACCA is currently introducing major innovations to its flagship qualification to ensure its members and future members continue to be the most valued, up to date and sought-after accountancy professionals globally.

Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. More information is here: www.accaglobal.com