The 10 countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) are set to become the growth area for trade in the next few years, according to Minister for Trade Simon Crean: "With a population of 600 million and a combined GDP of more than A$3 trillion, ASEAN presents significant business, export and investment opportunities for Australia." The ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) - signed earlier this year and expected to come into force on January 1, 2010 - will be the catalyst for regional growth, said Crean: "ASEAN’s resilience during the global economic downturn and sound economic growth in the coming years will further enhance prospects for Australian businesses when the historic FTA comes into force." Last week in Melbourne, Parliamentary Secretary for Trade Anthony Byrne opened a series of seminars designed to inform Australian businesses of the changes and opportunities the AANZFTA, Australia's largest FTA, provides. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar), Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The seminar series continues Australia-wide: Brisbane: October 22 Canberra: October 27 Adelaide: October 28 Perth: October 28 Darwin: October 30 Hobart: October 30 Details: Visit www.austrade.gov.au/aseannow or call 13 28 78