{{Short description|Multilateral free trade agreement in the South Pacific}} {{Infobox treaty | name = PACER Plus | image = Members of PACER Plus.svg | caption = {{Legend|#ff9233ff|PACER Plus members.}}{{Legend|#ffff0080|Signed but not ratified. }}{{Legend|#00800080|Participated in negotiations.}}{{Legend|#000080ff|Other members of the [[Pacific Islands Forum]] eligible to join.}} | type = [[Trade agreement]] | date_effective = 13 December 2020 | signatories= *'''11''' ** {{flag|Australia}} ** {{flag|Cook Islands}} ** {{flag|Kiribati}} ** {{flag|Nauru}} ** {{flag|New Zealand}} ** {{flag|Niue}} ** {{flag|Samoa}} ** {{flag|Solomon Islands}} ** {{flag|Tonga}} ** {{flag|Tuvalu}} ** {{flag|Vanuatu}} | parties = *'''10'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/agreements/in-force/pacer/news/pacer-news |title=PACER Plus news|publisher=Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |date= |accessdate=23 August 2024}}</ref> ** {{flag|Australia}} (20 December 2018) ** {{flag|Cook Islands}} (14 October 2020) ** {{flag|Kiribati}} ** {{flag|New Zealand}} (24 October 2018) ** {{flag|Niue}} (3 July 2020) ** {{flag|Samoa}} (22 July 2019) ** {{flag|Solomon Islands}} (22 June 2020) ** {{flag|Tonga}} (27 March 2020) ** {{flag|Tuvalu}} (2 February 2022) ** {{flag|Vanuatu}} (12 August 2022) | wikisource = }}
'''PACER Plus''' is a free trade agreement between members of the [[Pacific Islands Forum]] (the Forum Island Countries plus [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]]). The agreement expands the existing [[Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations]] (PACER) to include further trade liberalisation and development assistance. It entered into force on 13 December 2020.<ref name=dfat1>{{cite web |url=https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/agreements/not-yet-in-force/pacer/pacific-agreement-on-closer-economic-relations-pacer-plus |title=Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus |publisher=Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |date= |accessdate=2 November 2020}}</ref>
== History == Negotiations on the agreement began in 2009,<ref name=dfat1/> and were completed in April 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/201841020/pacer-plus-about-development-as-much-as-trade |title=PACER Plus about development as much as trade |publisher=[[RNZ]] |date=21 April 2017 |accessdate=2 November 2020}}</ref> It was opened for signature in [[Nukuʻalofa|Nuku'alofa]], [[Tonga]], in June 2017 and was initially signed by eleven countries: Australia, [[Cook Islands]], [[Kiribati]], [[Nauru]], New Zealand, [[Niue]], [[Samoa]], [[Solomon Islands]], Tonga, [[Tuvalu]] and [[Vanuatu]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements-concluded-but-not-in-force/pacer/|title=PACER Plus|website=New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade|language=en-NZ|access-date=2018-09-18}}</ref>
The agreement needed to be ratified by eight signatories to come into force. New Zealand was the first to ratify it, in October 2018, followed by Australia in December 2018, Samoa in July 2019,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/394960/samoa-ratifies-pacer-plus-trade-deal |title=Samoa Ratifies Pacer Plus Trade Deal |publisher=Radio NZ International |date=22 July 2019 |accessdate=4 July 2020}}</ref> the [[Solomon Islands]] in June 2020,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/419658/solomons-ratifies-pacer-plus-amid-calls-for-re-think |title=Solomons ratifies Pacer Plus amid calls for re-think |publisher=[[RNZ]] |date=23 June 2020 |accessdate=24 June 2020}}</ref> and [[Niue]] in July 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/420438/niue-ratifies-regional-pacer-plus-trade-agreement |title=Niue ratifies regional PACER Plus trade agreement |publisher=[[RNZ]] |date=3 July 2020 |accessdate=4 July 2020}}</ref> Kiribati and Tonga also ratified it.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/agreements/not-yet-in-force/pacer/Pages/pacific-agreement-on-closer-economic-relations-pacer-plus |title=Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus |publisher=Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |date= |accessdate=16 July 2020}}</ref> The Cook Islands ratified on 13 October 2020, the eighth country to do so.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://islandsbusiness.com/past-news-break-articles/item/2991-cook-islands-ratifies-pacer-plus.html |title=Cook Islands ratifies PACER Plus |author=Samantha Magick |work=Islands Business |date=15 October 2020 |accessdate=2 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cookislandsnews.com/national/economy/item/78936-regional-trade-agreement-brings-new-hope-to-growers |title=Regional trade agreement brings new hope to growers |author=Rashneel Kumar |work=Cook Islands News |date=19 October 2020 |accessdate=2 November 2020}}</ref> The treaty entered into force two months after the eighth ratification. In August 2024, Fiji announced they would re-evaluate joining in PACER Plus.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/business/fiji-reviews-trade-pact-amid-growing-deficit/ |title=Fiji reviews trade pact amid growing deficit |author=Shania Shayal Prasad |work=FBC News|date=19 August 2024|accessdate=22 August 2024}}</ref>
== Criticism ==
The value of the agreement to the Pacific is disputed.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/201841614/few-gains-for-pacific-in-pacer-deal-new-zealand-mp |title=Few gains for Pacific in PACER deal - New Zealand MP |publisher=[[RNZ]] |date=27 April 2017 |accessdate=2 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12269451 |title=Mixed reviews on Pacific Trade deal, Pacer Plus |work=New Zealand Herald |date=20 September 2019 |accessdate=4 July 2020}}</ref> [[Fiji]] and [[Papua New Guinea]], the two largest Pacific island economies, have refused to join, significantly undermining the value of the deal to the Pacific.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1711/S00335/pacific-trade-deal-pacer-plus-is-pacer-minus.htm |title=Pacific trade deal PACER-Plus is PACER-minus |work=Scoop |date=29 November 2017 |accessdate=2 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/radio-australia/programs/pacificbeat/economist-says-pacer-plus-without-png-and-fiji-is/8538460 |title=Economist says PACER Plus without PNG and Fiji is worthless |author=Bruce Hill |publisher=ABC |date=18 May 2017 |accessdate=2 November 2020}}</ref> The removal of tariffs on imported Australian and New Zealand goods is expected to cause a significant loss of revenue to Pacific governments.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/2018668199/pacific-trade-deal-signatories-face-heavy-losses-report |title=Pacific trade deal signatories face heavy losses - report |publisher=[[RNZ]] |date=25 October 2018 |accessdate=2 November 2020}}</ref> The Pacific Network on Globalisation has called the agreement "unbalanced" as key provisions on aid and labour mobility are non-binding.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/410764/watchdog-warns-of-unbalanced-pacer-plus-deal |title=Watchdog warns of 'unbalanced' Pacer Plus deal |publisher=[[RNZ]] |date=2 March 2020 |accessdate=4 July 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://pacerplus.org/ Pacer Plus Implementation Unit] * [https://www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/Trade-agreements/PACER-Plus/PACER-Plus-consolidated-legal-text.pdf Full text of the agreement]
{{Free trade agreements of Australia}} {{Free trade agreements of New Zealand}}
[[Category:Free trade agreements of New Zealand]] [[Category:Free trade agreements of Australia]] [[Category:Pacific Islands Forum treaties]] [[Category:Proposed free trade agreements]] [[Category:Treaties of Niue]] [[Category:Treaties of Samoa]] [[Category:Treaties of the Cook Islands]] [[Category:Treaties of Tonga]] [[Category:Treaties of Kiribati]]