Today in San Francisco, California, USTR and agency partners across the Obama Administration hosted the third day of the second round of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement. As usual, 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.) Weisel shared with stakeholders that discussions regarding market access architecture, in particular, were notable for the initial flexibility shown by TPP partner countries in exploring options. Questions still remain regarding the relationship between pre-existing FTAs and the TPP agreement. Weisel noted that one or more negotiating groups may have intersessional meetings before the next round of formal TPP talks in October.
Several working groups from the eight TPP partner countries – Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam – began negotiations today on various issue areas, while others continued their talks. Groups continuing or beginning negotiating sessions were:
• Lead Negotiators
• Cross-Border Services
• Customs Cooperation
• Financial Services
• Industrial Goods
• Intellectual Property Rights
• Investment
• Labor
• Legal and Institutional
• Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
• Services
• Telecommunications
Wednesday’s activities also featured three more presentations to TPP delegates by stakeholders invited to be on-site during the negotiating round:
• California Farm Bureau Federation
• International Forum on Globalization
• PETA
Information regarding these presentations may be obtained directly from the organizations.
USTR closed the negotiating day on Wednesday with an intra-delegation debrief.
The Thursday 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.
