The U.S. government has agreed with its negotiating partners to keep details of a new international trade agreement involving Pacific Rim nations a secret until negotiations are completed.

 

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), also known as the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement, is seeking to establish a free trade zone among the U.S., New Zealand, Chile, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, Peru, Vietnam and Malaysia.

 

Japan is interested in joining the talks. However, the Big 3 automakers in the U.S. oppose Japan’s involvement in the TPP unless it agrees to relax import restrictions on American-made cars.

 

What exactly the TPP is discussing is unknown, because negotiators signed a special pact to keep all documents related to the trade talks classified.

 

“This agreement could curtail crucial activities of state and local governments and would cover profoundly important public policy issues–access to essential medicines, food security, and natural resource management–that deserve extensive public review and discussion,” writes OMB Watch about the TPP talks.

 

The next round of negotiations—the 11th—will take place in Australia March 1-9.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Trade Secrecy Reaches New High (OMB Watch)

US Automakers Push To Exclude Japan From Pacific Rim Trade Pact (by Vicki Needham, The Hill)