Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) is a proposed new regional free trade agreement which builds on an existing Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand, Chile, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. The negotiations now include the United States, Australia, Peru, Vietnam and Malaysia, with several others including Japan expressing interest in joining.

Official negotiations began in Melbourne on 15th March 2010. Four negotiation meetings were held during 2010 and a further 5 official negotiating rounds have been scheduled during 2011. The following are the remaining dates and locations of negotiating rounds for 2011-12.

• Location and Timing of 9th Round:  The 9th round from 24 – 28 October, Lima, Peru.
• Location and Timing of APEC:  TPPA Announcements in November, Honolulu, Hawaii USA.
• Location and Timing of Interim Round: An interim round December 2011, Malaysia.
• Location and Timing of 10th Round: The 10th round from 1-9 March, Melbourne Australia (TBC).

Latest News:

Campaign victory: Fair Trade amendments to the ALP Platform

Our campaign for fair trade had an impact at the ALP National Conference, held at Darling Harbour from 2nd-3rd December 2011.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, a member of AFTINET, moved amendments to the trade section of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) platform, which is the public statement of the party's policy.

Although the platform still has a strong commitment to free trade, it now has for the first time a commitment to enforceable labour rights and environmental protections in trade agreements. 

There is also explicit policy against greater rights for foreign investors than domestic investors, which means against investor-state dispute processes which allow a single foreign company to sue a government for damages if a law harms their investment.

There is also an amended resolution on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, which although it says the agreement has some prospects for increased export and employment in export industries, now also contains a series of commitments on the issues that we have been campaigning about. This means there is a commitment that the agreement must not undermine the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (which regulates the prices of medicines) or the ability of governments to have cultural and quarantine policies. Governments must retain the ability to regulate foreign investment and to have industry development policies, research and development policies, regional development policies, environmental, development and procurement policies. The agreement must not give foreign investors greater rights than domestic investors. There is also an explicit commitment to enforceable labour rights and environmental protections in the agreement.

Of course, having a policy on paper does not guarantee implementation, but it gives us another lever for our campaign.

The full amended 2011 ALP platform will be published on the ALP website, but may take a while, as it is very long and there were lots of amendments. The trade policy is at the end of chapter 2. See www.alp.org.au.

November 2011 - Pacific Trade Pact misses APEC deadline as community groups slam US proposals on medicines and corporate rights

“The APEC meeting in Hawaii was meant to conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, a new free trade deal between the US, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.  But the deal has been delayed because of controversial proposals tabled by the US, and negotiations will continue into 2012,” Dr  Patricia Ranald, Convener of the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network of 60 community groups (AFTINET), said today.

For more information follow this link to our TPPA campaign page.

For a full copy of the media release follow this link.

October 2011 - UNITED STATES UNDERMINES ACCESS TO MEDICINES IN AUSTRALIA & PACIFIC - a joint media release from AFTINET and the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) issued on 25/10/2011

AFTINET and PHAA jointly commented on leaked documents on the United States position. A copy of the leaked documents is avilable from : http://www.citizenstrade.org/ctc/blog/2011/10/22/leaked-trans-pacific-fta-texts-reveal-u-s-undermining-access-to-medicine/.

Leaked proposals for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement confirm United States (US) efforts to undermine access to medicines in Australia and the Pacific, according to the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) and the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET).  “The Australian public should be concerned about the effects secret trade discussions being conducted in Peru this week could have on the affordability of medicines in Australia and other countries in the Asia Pacific region,” said PHAA Spokesperson Dr Deborah Gleeson.

Leaked texts outlining US proposals for the TPP free trade agreement confirm earlier reports that the US is seeking to include provisions that would raise the cost of medicines, extend the monopoly rights of pharmaceutical companies over life-saving drugs and place new restrictions on pharmaceutical reimbursement programs like Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

“These sorts of provisions have no place in trade agreements.  The operation of the PBS and similar schemes in other countries should not be determined by international trade rules that can override domestic policies,” said AFTINET Convenor Dr Patricia Ranald. 

For a full copy of the media release follow this link.

October 2011 - Letter to Trade Minister calling for democratic scrutiny of the TPPA.  

The ninth round of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) between the US, Australia, and seven other countries starts in Lima, Peru, on October 19. Over 25 Australian community groups, including the ACTU and 7 national unions, the Catholic Social Justice Council and Uniting World, the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Public Health Association and pensioner groups are calling on governments to release draft text of the proposed agreement, and to release a document which reportedly restricts access to negotiating documents for four years after the conclusion of the negotiations.

For a copy of the Letter and media release follow this link.   

September 2011 - Leaflet on Trading away public health? Health issues in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement

TPPA Petition to House of Representatives - Update:

AFTINET has published a new leaflet about the TPPA called:

Workers’ rights, not corporate rights

The Australian government is negotiating a Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement with the US, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. But the agenda is being set by giant US corporations. They have made public submissions saying they oppose commitments to workers’ rights in the agreement. And they want to use the negotiations to undermine local jobs and fair employment conditions for government contracts, to reduce policies for Australian content in film and television, and to charge higher prices for medicines. This US business agenda is about more rights for corporation, but less rights for workers, and less ability for governments to make laws in the public interest.

AFTINET wishes to acknowledge and thank the SPSF for its support which has enabled the production of this leaflet.

Follow this link to download an electronic copy of the leaflet.

AFTINET is able to supply bulk copies of the leaflet but will need you to cover the postage costs. If you wish to order bulk copies please download an order form by following this link or call AFTINET on 02 9212 7242.

TPPA Health Impacts:

The People's Health Movement Australia (PHMOz) is concerned about proposed intellectual property and investment provisions in the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) that could undermine public health regulation and access to essential medicine.PHM Oz has published an analysis on their website:

"The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement: Implications for public health regulation and access to medicine."

Follow this link to their website.

AFTINET is pleased to announce to members that a new book on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement is available for purchase, with AFTINET benefiting from Australian sales of the book.

Jane Kelsey and her international team of expert commentators, including Dr Patricia Ranald, expose the myths of yet another neo-liberal adventure.

Order form can be downloaded by following this link.

On Wednesday 16th June 2010, in the Jubilee Room of NSW Parliament House, AFTINET held a successful public meeting to launch our new publication, a community education leaflet about the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) called:

An electronic copy of the leaflet is available for download by following this link.

AFTINET is able to supply bulk copies of the leaflet but will need you to cover the postage costs.

If you wish to order bulk copies please download an order form by following this link or call AFTINET on 02 9212 7242.

Resources are available on our resources page

Reports and Information from Negotiating Rounds:

Santiago, Chile 14th to 18th February – 5th Round News:

A “Release the Text” campaign has commenced in Santiago. In addition analysis of potential “Financial Services” and “Investment” chapters have also  been released in Santiago by civil societies concerned about the negotiation of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. internationjal health Groups have also joined the campaign and called for safegaurds for medicines in the TPPA.

For details and to download papers follow this link.

The AFTINET Trade Justice campaigner, Harvey Purse, attended the Auckland negotiations on Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th December, 2011 and a meeting of civil society groups on Sunday 5th. Much thanks needs to be extended to the SPSF, AMWU and ANF for their financial assistance, which ensured that AFTINET was present in Auckland to lend support to our New Zealand allies and take a look on the inside. AMWU Representative, Don Sutherland and NTEU Representative, Ted Murphy, also attended the meeting.

For further detail follow this link to TPPA Fourth Round report and associated documents.

Follow this link for more information and to see the origins of this campaign.