[x-pubpol] Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations stall again

[Joly MacFie]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/26/tpp_negotiations_stall_again/

The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade disagreement talks continue to resemble
a slow-motion train wreck, with the latest round of negotiations apparently
stalled over agricultural subsidies.

According to *Reuters*, the latest round of talks in Singapore
ground<http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/25/us-trade-pacific-tpp-idUSBREA1O0YW20140225>
to
a halt because America and Japan are butting heads over the latter's
protectionist attitude towards rice, wheat and meat production.


Hopes that an agreement would be ready for US President Barack Obama to
wave around on a visit to the region in April appear to have been dashed,
since the next meeting of ministers hasn't been scheduled.However, the list
of contentious points is larger than that, suggesting that in spite of
sanguine statements from participants, movement behind closed doors remains
slow. The *New York Times*
states<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/26/business/pacific-trade-talks-end-inconclusively.html?_r=0>
that
intellectual property provisions remain controversial, along with rules
covering state-owned enterprises and government procurement.

The twelve-country talks (the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New
Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Chile, Mexico and Peru) have
been largely conducted in secret, with treaty texts reaching the public
only via leaks.

Past leaks have shown that the IP provisions of the TPP - which would
impose harsher restrictions on copyright, including criminalisation of
infringement; would restrict parallel importation of copyright materials;
and which would restrict countries' access to generic pharmaceuticals - are
deeply unpopular among the negotiating countries.

Leak-watchers will be keenly awaiting the negotiating texts used in
Singapore.

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