http://www.dfat.gov.au/fta/tpp/121220-tpp-stakeholder-update-15.html The
15th round of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations was held in
Auckland, New Zealand from 3 – 12 December 2012. Negotiators made good progress
in Auckland with the hope of concluding negotiations by the end of 2013. The
nine original Parties welcomed Canada and Mexico to the negotiations for the
first time. Significant progress was made on Telecommunications,
Government Procurement, Labour, Technical Barriers to Trade and Customs. There
was also good progress on resolving technical issues and developing pathways to
address the more complex and sensitive areas, including Intellectual Property,
Environment and Investment. Negotiators continued to develop the goods and
services market access packages to eliminate tariffs and other barriers to
trade in order to meet the high level of ambition set out by TPP Leaders and Ministers,
most recently at the APEC Meeting in Vladivostok in September 2012. Almost
300 registered stakeholders, including more than 40 from Australian businesses
and civil society groups, participated in the round. The stakeholder forum on 6
December provided an opportunity for a wide range of stakeholders to make
formal presentations and meet directly with negotiators to discuss specific
issues. Australian negotiators also met with interested stakeholders in the
margins of the round, complementing the ongoing opportunities for stakeholders
to provide input to the government on issues under discussion in the TPP.
Source Australian Govt web
site -http://www.dfat.gov.au/fta/tpp/121220-tpp-stakeholder-update-15.html
