Negotiators maintained strong momentum toward achieving a high-quality and comprehensive agreement, guided by the plan of action set in April by the trade ministers from TPP parties in the margins of the APEC meeting in Surabaya, Indonesia. Parties succeeded in making progress in many chapters of the agreement, including in sanitary and phytosanitary measures, trade remedies, labour, government procurement, cross-border trade in services and legal and institutional issues. Parties advanced work on negotiating texts in other chapters, including technical barriers to trade, e-commerce, rules of origin, investment, financial services, transparency and other issues. Parties also discussed outstanding issues and agreed on next steps to narrow differences in intellectual property, environment and competition. Negotiators noted that they will continue to work together to build comprehensive market access packages for industrial, agricultural, textile and apparel goods, services and investment, and government procurement, reflecting input received from stakeholders so far.

The negotiating teams agreed to undertake further intersessional work in the coming weeks, in order to advance discussions on outstanding issues, and to build on the progress achieved in this round.

Close to 300 stakeholders from Australia, Peru, the United States and other TPP countries participated in the stakeholder forum on 19 May. Stakeholders gave presentations to negotiators on a wide range of issues under discussion in the TPP, and provided input directly to negotiators in informal meetings. Chief Negotiators also briefed stakeholders on the status of the negotiations, and responded questions on specific issues.

The Chief Negotiators noted that Japan would participate in the next round of the TPP negotiations, after current TPP parties have concluded respective domestic processes to formalise Japan's entry into the TPP.

The 18th round of TPP negotiations will be held in Malaysia on 15-25 July.

Source: http://www.dfat.gov.au

 

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