Gold-Standard or WTO-Lite?: Shaping the Trans-Pacific Partnership

The Administration is currently negotiating U.S. entrance into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a new vehicle for trade and economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region including Australia, Chile, Peru, New Zealand, Vietnam, and others. It is imperative that in the TPP the U.S. negotiates a strong, comprehensive accession agreement that includes the highest standards of intellectual property protection, eliminates non-tariff barriers such as standards manipulation, achieves transparency on government procurement provisions, and ensures that U.S. standards and laws are reflected in the agreement. Will the Trans-Pacific Partnership be a gold-standard trade pact—or WTO lite? In this event, ITIF host an all-star panel as we release a new paper and discuss how the United States should craft the TPP as a model trade agreement for the 21st century.