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For more information,
please contact the
Healthy Pacific Lifestyle Advisers of the section:

Dr Viliami PULOKA
Physical Activity
Tel.: 687 26 09 52

Ms Jeanie McKENZIE
Alcohol and Tobacco
Tel.: 687 26 01 22

Ms Karen FUKOFUKA
Nutrition
Tel.: 687 26 67 75
 

Secretariat of the Pacific Community
BP D5, 98848 Noumea Cedex
New Caledonia
Fax: +687 26.38.18


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Multilateral Agreements

 

PACER: the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations


PACER is an international treaty that was concluded on the same date as PICTA, and is open to signature and ratification by all of the parties to PICTA and Australia and New Zealand.

Definition

The main functions of PACER are to guarantee to Australia and New Zealand the right to negotiate with the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) “with a view to establishing reciprocal free trade arrangements”, and to pave the way for development of a “framework of trade facilitation measures in the Pacific region” and for financial and technical assistance to the Pacific Island countries to support the objectives of PACER.

Objectives

The objectives of PACER include providing a framework for cooperation between the parties, leading to the development of a single regional market, and undertaking the necessary structural and economic adjustments for integration of the Pacific Islands free trade area into the international economy.

PACER and potential impact on Tobacco and Alcohol

There are several ways in which the provisions of PACER could have an impact on tobacco and alcohol control programmes in the Pacific Islands.

Parties to PACER are obliged to establish detailed programmes for the development, establishment and implementation of trade facilitation measures. The measures must be consistent with other regional and international trade facilitation agreements and initiatives. Even though many public health organisations have called for tobacco to be treated differently from other goods, so far they have not been successful at having tobacco products excluded from other international and regional trade agreements.

As a result, the commitment to achieve consistency with other international and regional agreements could undermine the ability of PACER parties to maintain tariffs on tobacco and alcohol products under PICTA, or to exclude tobacco and alcohol products entirely from the scope of PICTA.