TPP

TPP, or Trans-Pacific Partnership, originally referred to a proposed regional trade agreement among a group of Pacific Rim economies. The TPP negotiations began in 2010 with twelve member economies: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam. The agreement sought to reduce tariffs, liberalize trade in services, and set common rules on a range of issues including intellectual property, investment, government procurement, and state-owned enterprises.

In 2017, the United States withdrew from the agreement, effectively leaving the pact to be pursued by the remaining economies. The remaining eleven countries completed what was rebranded as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP, in 2018. The CPTPP preserved most of the original provisions, though some measures were suspended or modified to reflect the absence of U.S. participation. In 2023, the United Kingdom joined the CPTPP, expanding the bloc to twelve economies.

A core aim of the CPTPP is to facilitate trade and investment by eliminating tariffs on many goods, establishing rules of origin to determine eligibility for tariff preferences, and creating a framework of disciplines spanning goods, services, investment, intellectual property, digital trade, and government procurement. The agreement also includes provisions on labor and environmental standards, competition policy, and dispute resolution mechanisms.

The CPTPP operates as a major regional trade pact outside the United States, shaping trade relations across the Asia-Pacific region. Supporters emphasize expanded market access and economic integration, while critics raise concerns about regulatory sovereignty, labor and environmental enforcement, and the balance of protections for investors and workers.