Event

NFTC, (1625 K Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC) as we meet with Doug Bell, DAUSTR for Southeast Asia and the Pacific to discuss in more detail last week’s announcement by USTR that the U.S. intends to enter into negotiations with Chile, New Zealand, Singapore and Brunei to join the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement.  He will brief us on how negotiations are likely to unfold, other countries expressing interest in joining in at the ground floor, and provide more detail on U.S. priorities and key challenges in the negotiation. Equally important, USTR is interested in hearing from our members, including your company’s and sector’s key objectives and how best to develop the process of business input and support for the negotiations.

In late 2005, these P-4 nations concluded an agreement intended to serve as a pathway to broader Asia-Pacific wide trade liberalization and integration.  The Agreement went into effect in late 2006.  In March 2008, Trans-Pacific Partnership countries began work on the outstanding Financial Services and Investment chapters and were joined by the United States in these talks.  The first round of full negotiations among the five nations is slated to begin in March, 2008.

THIS MEETING IS OFF THE RECORD.

Please RSVP via reply email  to cdittrich@nftc.org if you will attend.

USTR announcement and background on the launch of trans-pacific negotiations:

• http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2008/September/Trans-Pacific_Partners_United_States_Launch_FTA_Negotiations.html
• http://www.ustr.gov/assets/Document_Library/Fact_Sheets/2008/asset_upload_file660_15116.pdf
• http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2008/September/Schwab_Statement_on_launch_of_the_US_Negotiations_to_join_the_Trans-Pacific_Strategic_Economic_Partnership_Agreement.html
• NFTC Release on the launch:  http://www.nftc.org/newsflash/newsflash.asp?Mode=View&articleid=1990&Category=All
• USTR Letter Notifying Congress of Intention to Negotiate (outlines negotiating objectives in a little more detail): http://www.nftc.org/default/trade/2008/NPelosi%20157667%20Letter.pdf
• Australian Interest in Trans-Pacific Negotiations: http://www.nftc.org/default/trade/2008/080923%20Crean%20Press%20Release.pdf
• National Milk Producers statement in opposition to including dairy in the negotiations: http://www.nmpf.org/latest_news/press_releases/NZ_FTA092208
• Senator Baucus statement of support: http://finance.senate.gov/press/Bpress/2008press/prb092208B.pdf