Today in San Francisco, California, USTR and agency partners across the Obama Administration hosted the second day of the second round of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement. As on Monday, the day began with a briefing by lead U.S. negotiator and Assistant USTR Barbara Weisel for stakeholders on-site at this week’s talks. (See http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/blog/2010/june/us-stakeholders-join-ustr-san-francisco for more information on stakeholder participation.) Among topics raised were services and development elements in the TPP, and how USTR will stay in touch with stakeholders beyond this week’s face-to-face meetings in San Francisco.
The Environmental Working Group gathers during the second day of negotiations
Working groups from the eight TPP partner countries – Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam – met throughout the day to negotiate on various issue areas. Groups continuing or beginning negotiating sessions were:
• Lead Negotiators
• Agriculture
• Competition
• Environment
• Intellectual Property
• Labor
• Legal and Institutional
• Market Access
• Rules of Origin
• Services
• Technical Barriers to Trade
Tuesday’s activities also featured the first of several presentations to TPP delegates this week by stakeholders invited to be on-site during the negotiating round. Lori Wallach, Director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, addressed more than two dozen U.S. and international delegates regarding investment and financial service terms in the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. In a separate on-site presentation, AFL-CIO’s Jeff Vogt shared ideas for the Labor chapter of the agreement. Information regarding stakeholder presentations may be obtained directly from presenting organizations.
AFL-CIO gives a stakeholder presentation to the TPP negotiators
As on Monday, USTR closed the negotiating day on Tuesday with an intra-delegation debrief.
The Wednesday schedule for TPP negotiations, as well as additional updates, will be posted on www.ustr.gov and www.ustr.gov/tpp-san-francisco tomorrow - along with information about the jobs and other benefits Asia-Pacific trade brings to various states across the country, and other key information related to the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks.
