Today in San Francisco, California, USTR and agency partners across the Obama Administration hosted the fourth 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 today’s discussions in the lead negotiators’ group would center around how best to address the needs of small- and medium-sized enterprises – a U.S. priority for the TPP agreement and a new issue to feature in a trade deal - and also transparency. Another key item on today’s agenda, she noted, was the issue of supply chains across the Asia-Pacific, with the U.S. goal being integration of American businesses into those supply chains in ways that keep jobs at home in the United States.
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
• Capacity Building
• Cross-Border Services
• Customs Cooperation
• E-Commerce
• Financial Services
• Government Procurement
• Intellectual Property Rights
• Investment
• Labor
• Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
• Textiles
Thursday’ activities also featured a presentation to TPP delegates by the Center for Public Analysis on Trade and Health (CPATH) and California Public Health Association-North, stakeholders invited to be on-site during the negotiating round. Information regarding this presentations may be obtained directly from CPATH.
USTR closed the negotiating day with an intra-delegation debrief.
The schedule for the final day of TPP negotiations in San Francisco, 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.
PLEASE NOTE: There will not be a closing press conference or negotiation readout on Friday, but a reporter briefing will be scheduled in Washington, DC next week.
