MITI

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is an FTA initiative involving eleven (11) countries, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States and Viet Nam.
17 rounds of negotiations have been held:

First round from 15 – 18 March 2010 in Melbourne, Australia;
Second round from 14 – 18 June 2010 in San Francisco, US;
Third round from 4 – 9 October 2010 in Brunei Darussalam, Brunei;
Fourth round from 6 – 10 December 2010 in Auckland, New Zealand;
Fifth round from 14 – 18 February 2011, Santiago, Chile;
Sixth round from 24 March - 1 April 2011, Singapore;
Seventh round from 20 – 24 June 2011, Viet Nam;
Eighth round from 6 – 15 September 2011, US;
Ninth round from 19 – 28 October 2011, Lima, Peru;
Tenth round from 5 – 9 December, 2011, Kuala Lumpur;
11th round from 1 – 9 March 2012, Melbourne, Australia;
12th round from 8 – 18 May 2012, Dallas, US;
13th round from 2 – 11 July 2012, San Diego, US;
14th round from 6 – 15 September 2012, Leesburg, US;
15th round from 3 – 12 December 2012, Auckland, New Zealand;
16th round from 3 – 14 March 2013, Singapore; and
17th round from 15 – 25 May 2013, Lima, Peru.

The objective of the negotiations is to develop an FTA agreement which will be able to adapt and incorporate current issues, concerns and interests. Working groups have been established in the following areas:

Market Access;
Technical Barriers to Trade;
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures;
Rules of Origin;
Customs Cooperation;
Investment;
Services;
Non-Conforming Measures;
Financial Services;
Telecommunications;
E-Commerce;
Business Mobility;
Government Procurement;
Competition;
Intellectual Property;
Labour;
Environment;
Capacity building;
Trade Remedies; and
Legal and Institutional.

A unique departure from other FTAs is the Group's additional focus on cross-cutting “horizontal issues” such as regulatory coherence, competitiveness and business facilitation, development and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
There are sessions for stakeholder involvement at the margins of the TPP negotiations. Private sector representatives, Non-Governmental Organisations and Special Interest Groups are invited to make presentations where they can share their views on those issues of interest to them.

Malaysia's Involvement

Although Malaysia has FTA agreements with most of the TPP members, the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a positive step towards deeper integration within the Asia Pacific region and would allow Malaysia to engage the US, which remains an important trading partner and source of investment.
The TPP accounts for a third of Malaysia's global trade. Together with Malaysia's other FTAs, this would increase Malaysia's share of global trade covered under preferential treatment to above 70 per cent.
The TPP could be perceived as the primary vehicle for advancing economic cooperation and investment liberalisation in the Asia Pacific region.

Major Milestones

Malaysia participated as a full negotiating member at the third round of negotiations from round from 4 – 9 October 2010 in Brunei.
The US International Trade Commission had undertaken a public hearing on Malaysia's participation in the TPP. There was general support by US stakeholders for Malaysia's participation. ( Click here to view the submissions )
Malaysia attended the fourth round of negotiations which was held from 6 – 10 December 2010 in Auckland, New Zealand. Negotiations are progressing well and the TPP members hope to achieve substantial agreement in all areas of the agreement before the APEC Summit in 2011.
The fifth round of negotiations was held from 14 – 18 February 2011 in Santiago, Chile. Substantive progress was made in some negotiating areas. TPP countries have agreed to intensify their work in order to make progress in each group prior to the next round in Singapore.
The sixth round of negotiations was held from 24 March - 1 April 2011 in Singapore. Good progress was achieved in the Singapore round which was held over a longer period than the previous rounds. Almost all Working Groups have commenced substantive negotiations on the consolidated text. Three working groups, Investment, Services and Financial Services held the first round of examination of initial conditional offers.
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) ministers met in the margins of the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting to take stock of progress made so far and to consider the path forward as they seek to conclude a high-standard, regional trade agreement. The ministers discussed the progress so far after six rounds of negotiations and were pleased with the steady and solid progress to date in this highly complex negotiation. ( Joint Statement from Trans-Pacific Partnership Ministers Meeting on Margins of APEC in Big Sky, Montana )
The seventh round of negotiations was held from 15 – 24 June 2011 in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. TPP countries continue to make progress towards their goal of reaching the outlines of an agreement by the APEC Leaders' meeting in November.
Officials from the 9 TPP countries met in Chicago for the eighth round of negotiations from 6 – 15 September 2011. It was a productive round with substantial progress in text negotiations.
The Ninth round of negotiations was held from 19 – 28 October 2011 in Lima, Peru. Negotiations are progressing well and negotiators are on target to deliver a substantially agreed broad outline of the agreement by the APEC Summit in Honolulu.
During the APEC Summit in Honolulu, the TPP Ministers conveyed a joint report to the TPP Leaders updating on the status of negotiations. The TPP Leaders issued a joint statement and made public the broad outline of the Agreement. ( Trade Ministers' Report to Leaders , Leaders Statement and Outlines of the TPP Agreement )
The 10th round of negotiations was held from 5 – 9 December 2011 in Kuala Lumpur. Only a limited number of groups were involved and the main objective was to discuss the way forward in light of the recent instructions made by the Leaders in Honolulu in November 2011.
The 11th round of negotiations was held from 1 – 5 March 2012 in Melbourne. Negotiators continue to make progress in the negotiations and are on track to conclude negotiations in 2012 as instructed by the TPP Leaders.
The 12th round of negotiations was held from 8 – 18 May 2012 in Dallas. Negotiators achieved progress in the text negotiations across all areas. Negotiations on the SME Chapter has been concluded.
Mexico was accepted as the 10 th participant in the TPP negotiations on 9 June 2012. Canada was accepted as the 11 th participant in the TPP negotiations on 10 June 2012. Mexico and Canada will be able to participate in the negotiations once the other members have concluded their domestic process.
The 13th round of negotiations was held from 2 – 11 July 2012 in San Diego. Negotiations continue to make progress. The Cooperation and Capacity Building chapter as well as Section A of the Competition Policy chapter have been concluded.
During the APEC Summit, the TPP Leaders issued a Leaders Statement reaffirming their continued support and commitment towards the initiative.
The 14th round of negotiations, held from 6 – 15 September 2012 in Leesburg, continues the progress of the last two rounds.
The 15th round of negotiations was held from 3 – 12 December in Auckland, New Zealand. Progress continues to be achieved. This was the first round that both the latest members – Canada and Mexico – participated.
The 16th round of negotiations was held from 3 – 14 March 2013 in Singapore. Good progress achieved as negotiations were intensified particularly in the chapters for Telecommunication, Regulatory Coherence, Customs and Development.
On 16 March 2013, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe formally announced that Japan will join the TPP negotiations. Japan is now expected to complete the bilateral consultation process. Japan’s membership into the TPP must be on a consensus basis.
All TPP countries have unanimously agreed to accept Japan into the negotiations. They will now finalise with Japan, the process for entry in a manner that allows the talks to continue expeditiously toward conclusion.
The 17th round of negotiations was held from 15 – 24 May 2013 in Lima, Peru. Good progress continues to be achieved with technical discussions in several chapters concluded.

Latest News/Updates/Announcements

Outreach Programmes

MITI conducts outreach programmes on a regular basis to update the public and relevant stakeholders on all its FTA initiatives. These outreach programmes are either conducted by MITI and its regional offices or through its agencies i.e. MATRADE and SME Corp, as well as in collaboration with trade and industry associations.
These outreach programmes also serve as a mechanism to obtain public feedback, views and comments. Your feedback is important to us. The public is welcome to share its views on Malaysia's participation in the TPP. MITI officials also welcome any invitation to speak on our current involvement in the TPP initiative. Should you wish to have briefing do not hesitate to contact us.

Contact Details

Any enquiry on the TPP can be directed to:

Peter Brian M. Wang
Principal Assistant Director (Coordinator, Trans-Pacific Partnership)
FTA Policy and Negotiations Coordination
Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)
Level 5, Block 10
Government Offices Complex
Jalan Duta, 50622
KUALA LUMPUR
Tel: 03-6200 0317
Fax: 03-6201 7784
Email: pbrian@miti.gov.my

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