The chief negotiators of the 11 remaining signatories to the Trans-Pacific Partnership met Monday in Tokyo to work on getting the free trade pact signed wi
The chief negotiators of the 11 remaining signatories to the Trans-Pacific Partnership met Monday in Tokyo to work on getting the free trade pact signed without the United States.
The focus of the two-day meeting is on whether members can get Canada onboard for an early signing, with Australia, Chile and Japan pushing to hold the official ceremony by March. They agreed on core elements of the pact in November in Vietnam but left some matters for further negotiation.
“We should be able to reach consensus on the time and date for the signature at the chief negotiators’ level,” said Toshimitsu Motegi, Japan’s minister in charge of TPP negotiations, at the start of the meeting, underlining his hope that the latest round will be the final talks before the signing. “This target date is absolutely necessary to enable all the parties to start domestic procedures,” Motegi said.
Japan wants the deal signed by early March so the ratification bills can be submitted to the Diet during the 150-day legislative session that started Monday.
Canada is holding out to secure protection of its cultural industries, like movies, TV, and music, and has said it will not be rushed into signing a deal that other members hope to conclude by March. That is casting a shadow over a meeting of trade officials from member countries this week in Tokyo, and is raising questions about the economic benefits of a pact that doesn’t bring Canada into the fold.
