Trans-Pacific Partnership | First in a series: The ‘investor-state’
Credit: stoptpp.org Moderator’s Note: This is the first in a series of analytical reports that focus on a development in international treaty negotiations. This is the Trans-Pacific Partnership [i] or TPP, which is on Fast-Track path for approval as the framework for trade and investment among a group of Pacific Rim countries. The Trans-Pacific Partnership comprises a region accounting for approximately 40 percent of global GDP. According to the Wikileaks press release of 13 November,the current TPP negotiation member states are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States, and Vietnam. Notably absent: China. One of the things I noticed in reading through the so-called patents and intellectual property chapter is that the February 2011 document reflects a great deal more disagreement among the partners than has been discussed. It will be interesting to see ow and if these differences, some of which are discussed b...