Trade Negotiations Advance on Two Fronts across Pacific, Atlantic Oceans
September 11, 2014
Additional Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations took place last month, as the 12 countries participating in those trade discussions continue to work to bring talks to a conclusion. The impasse at this stage remains how Japan and the U.S. will handle agricultural market access. The outcome of those talks is critical for NMPF’s members, not only because of the importance of a high quality deal for dairy access into the Japanese market, but also because the result of those agricultural discussions are expected to set the tone for additional elements that remain unresolved, such as access to the Canadian market. NMPF remains deeply engaged in advocating for a strong TPP agreement and is consulting regularly with the U.S. negotiating team to help support that result.
Later this month, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks between the U.S. & the EU will also reconvene. The EU’s desire to use Geographical Indications (GIs) and other restrictions to limit U.S. cheese sales is expected to remain a hot topic of discussion in those negotiations. NMPF remains adamant in rejecting the EU’s efforts to use GIs as barriers to trade and competition. Other topics that NMPF is focused on will also be discussed during the September TTIP round, including various regulatory requirements that unjustly impede trade.
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