TPP ministers agree on Japan entry
April 22, 2013 | 08:50 AM
The trade ministers of the 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries meeting in Surabaya, Indonesia on Saturday agreed by consensus that Japan can join the TPP negotiations upon completion of current members’ respective domestic processes, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a news release.
The 11 current TPP countries — which include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States, and Vietnam — met on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade to chart a path forward on the remaining issues that will enable them to conclude the negotiations on a 2013 timeframe, USTR added.
As the negotiating teams prepare for the next round in Lima, Peru, set for May 15-24, ministers directed negotiators to complete their work on some chapters and to accelerate progress on intellectual property, competition/state-owned enterprises, and environment, as well as on the market access packages for goods, services/investment, and government procurement.
With Japan’s entry, TPP countries would account for nearly 40 percent of global GDP and about one-third of all world trade, USTR noted.
“TPP negotiations continue to move forward at a dynamic and promising pace,” Acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis said in a news release.
“The TPP membership was already robust, presenting economic opportunities for the United States and every member country, and the addition of Japan increases its significance and its potential across the board,” Marantis said.
“Japan’s entry will offer a huge new market for American exports that can support more jobs at home. For the United States, we look forward to consulting with our Congress and stakeholders further as Japan prepares to join the talks, and to continuing the push for a TPP agreement this year.”
The 11 current TPP countries — which include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States, and Vietnam — met on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade to chart a path forward on the remaining issues that will enable them to conclude the negotiations on a 2013 timeframe, USTR added.
As the negotiating teams prepare for the next round in Lima, Peru, set for May 15-24, ministers directed negotiators to complete their work on some chapters and to accelerate progress on intellectual property, competition/state-owned enterprises, and environment, as well as on the market access packages for goods, services/investment, and government procurement.
With Japan’s entry, TPP countries would account for nearly 40 percent of global GDP and about one-third of all world trade, USTR noted.
“TPP negotiations continue to move forward at a dynamic and promising pace,” Acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis said in a news release.
“The TPP membership was already robust, presenting economic opportunities for the United States and every member country, and the addition of Japan increases its significance and its potential across the board,” Marantis said.
“Japan’s entry will offer a huge new market for American exports that can support more jobs at home. For the United States, we look forward to consulting with our Congress and stakeholders further as Japan prepares to join the talks, and to continuing the push for a TPP agreement this year.”
