2 March 2012

The NZ US Council will be represented at the eleventh round of negotiations to expand the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) being held in Melbourne next week.

“Since the broad outlines of TPP were released at APEC in Honolulu last November negotiators have moved expeditiously to deliver on the target deadline of a conclusion to the negotiation in the course of this year”, said NZ US Council Executive Director, Stephen Jacobi.

“This is an ambitious undertaking but there is now considerable momentum behind the negotiation. The Melbourne round is an opportunity to develop further consensus on the draft negotiating text and commence market access discussions. Business interests around the region support the emphasis on a high quality, ambitious and comprehensive outcome to TPP which addresses business needs as well as the interests of stakeholders”.

Mr Jacobi said Council members would attend the Stakeholder Forum on Sunday 4 March. Mr Jacobi would be in Melbourne 6-7 March to meet with Australian and other business contacts and to attend a briefing for stakeholders given by Chief Negotiators.

Mr Jacobi said the Council’s 10th anniversary conference to be held in Auckland on 4 May would contain extensive discussion about how TPP can deliver new business opportunities for New Zealand – further details on the conference will be released shortly.

About The Trans Pacific Partnership
TPP is a trade negotiation between Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Viet Nam which Japan, Canada and Mexico also wish to join. TPP is being negotiated as pathway to a future Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP). The economies of APEC account for over 70% of New Zealand’s total merchandise trade. Trade with APEC economies has been growing at an average of 4.5% per annum over the last 20 years.

About the NZUS Council – www.nzuscouncil.com
The NZ US Council is a non-partisan body funded by both business and the Government to promote New Zealand’s broader relationship with the United States. Two-way trade with the US is valued at over $8 billion and the US is a leading source of investment, innovation and business ideas.

ENDS

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