The nine Trans-Pacific Partnership countries (Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, and the United States) continue to meet in Brunei Darussalam this week for a third round of TPP negotiations. In all, 24 negotiating groups will convene this week to discuss the full range of issues to be covered by the agreement.
As of Thursday, groups covering industrial goods, agriculture, textiles, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, services, investment, financial services, intellectual property and environment had met and made progress in all areas. Discussions also began on cross-cutting issues including promoting competitiveness, supply chain development, making it easier for small- and medium-sized enterprises to take advantage of the eventual Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, and development, with teams exchanging proposals for further work in all areas.
As was the case with June’s U.S.-hosted TPP negotiating round in San Francisco, California, stakeholders have been welcomed on-site at the negotiations in Brunei, and many have participated in public seminars on sanitary and phytosanitary and environmental issues.
The TPP partners reached consensus on Malaysia's request to join the negotiations on Tuesday of this week, following which USTR Ron Kirk notified Congress of the Administration’s intent to include Malaysia in the ongoing negotiations. Visit www.ustr.gov/tpp to see these notification letters, and for complete information on U.S. participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
