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(…) The Fuel Tax Credits Scheme removes the incidence of excise and excise-equivalent customs duties from the costs of some fuels (including diesel) used in business activities, including specified activities in agriculture, fishing, and forestry (sections 3.4.2 and 4.3.2.3).

(...) Under the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012 (GEMS Act), the Commonwealth Government can set mandatory minimum efficiency performance standards (MEPS) and energy-rating label (ERL) requirements for electrical equipment and appliance products. These requirements are set out in legislative instruments called GEMS determinations, which now cover: rotary clothes-dryers; clothes washing machines; dishwashers; household refrigerating appliances; double-capped fluorescent lamps; transformers and electronic step-down converters for ELV lamps; ballasts for fluorescent lamps; compact fluorescent lamps for general lighting services; incandescent lamps for general lighting services; electric water heaters; external power supplies; digital television set top boxes; commercial refrigeration products; power supply transformers; air conditioners; liquid chilling packages; gas water heaters; electric motors (2 phase); and televisions/computers/computer monitors for personal, domestic or household use.

The Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA)covers goods, services (including financial services), investment, government procurement, standards and technical regulations, competition-related matters, e-commerce, intellectual property rights, labour issues, and environmental matters

Australia continues to proactively negotiate plurilateral agreements under the auspices of, and alongside, the WTO. Australia is party to negotiations on the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), Information Technology Agreement (ITA), and the Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA).

Specific budgetary assistance to the mining sector was delivered through the National Low Emissions Coal Initiative, with minimal amounts channelled through the Renewable Energy Development Initiative

The Australian Government introduced the Biosecurity Bill in 2014 to replace the Quarantine Act 1908. The Biosecurity Bill simplifies Australia's biosecurity laws while maintaining the standard of protection for human, animal, plant life and the environment. The Australian Department of Agriculture provides further advice on the Biosecurity Bill 2014 at: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecuritylegislation.

Australia's G20 energy agenda for 2014 included building the resilience of energy markets, strengthening global energy architecture, strengthening gas markets, and bolstering energy efficiency. The Group developed the G20 principles on Energy Collaboration and the G20 Energy Efficiency Action Plan. The G20 principles established a set of priorities for G20 collaboration on energy and lay the foundation for future work. The Energy Efficiency Action Plan documents six areas of practical energy efficiency work for ongoing collaboration among G20 members. In 2014, the G20 also held the inaugural G20-International Energy Forum Gas Market Dialogue.

Australia's 2013 annual Tax Expenditures Statement (TES) identifies 355 (337 in 2009) tax expenditures by the Commonwealth Government to benefit a specified activity or class of taxpayer: 108 pertain directly to business income, 25 to commodities (e.g. fuel, alcohol, beer, wine, and tobacco) and other goods (e.g. luxury cars) or broadcasting activities, 13 to natural resources, 29 to GST, and eight to the Carbon Pricing Mechanism (2012/13, 2013/14), which was repealed on 1 July 2014. These tax expenditures are available to domestic and foreign firms; according to the authorities very few tax expenditures relate directly to production and/or trade of goods and/or services. (…)

Since January 2012, Australia's tariff classification system has been based on the HS2012 nomenclature. [9] (…)

[9] The fourth review amendments to the Harmonized System concentrate primarily on environmental and social issues that are of global concern. The 2012 Harmonized System revisions contain approximately 800 amendments to the Customs Tariff Act 1995 affecting 43 of the 98 chapters in the classification, through either note changes or classification changes or both. Extensive revisions affected Chapters 3, 9, 16, 27, 29, 61-62, and 96. Australian Customs and Border Protection Notice No. 2011/12, "2012 Harmonized System Changes". Viewed at: http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/ACNHS2012Final.pdf.

During the period under review Australia reviewed, inter alia, its future energy needs, passed a comprehensive package of clean energy proposals including a 3carbon price mechanism (repealed in 2014), and set mandatory minimum efficiency performance and energy rating label requirements. A new coherent and integrated approach to energy policy is under consideration. (...)