TPP 11 need for further talks show flaws in the deal, says AFTINET
“TPP 11 leaders meeting in da Nang Vietnam have reportedly agreed on some elements of a possible deal without the US,
but have not succeeded in their aim of finalising the text. The talks have only been salvaged by an agreement to rename
the deal, suspend some of its most controversial clauses and to have further talks over several months on issues raised
by Canada and other governments,” AFTINET Convener Dr Patricia Ranald said today.
The draft leaders’ statement and list of suspended provisions reported by Reuters are attached.
“The failure to conclude the deal shows that some governments still oppose provisions demanded by the US which they only
reluctantly agreed to gain access to the US market. The renaming of the deal as the Progressive Comprehensive
Trans-Pacific Partnership, insisted on by Canada, seems to be an effort to distance governments from the original TPP,”
said Dr Ranald.
“AFTINET welcomes the suspension of some proposals for stronger medicine monopolies, including those on costly biologic
medicines, which would delay the availability of cheaper versions of those medicines, and which were strongly opposed by
public health and other community groups. But we believe there should have been deleted altogether rather than suspended
pending a possible US return to the deal.”
The proposed deal still contains special rights to foreign investors to bypass national courts and sue governments for millions of dollars in unfair international tribunals over changes to
domestic laws, known as ISDS. It would also restrict future governments from re-regulating essential services like energy or financial services, despite demonstrated market failures, and it would result in more vulnerable temporary migrant workers, without testing if local workers were available,” said Dr Ranald.
“Australia has nothing to gain from a revived TPP. Australia already has free trade agreements with the US and all but
three of the other ten TPP countries, (Peru, Mexico and Canada). This meant the TPP delivered minimal extra market
access for Australia. Studies showed the TPP with the US would deliver hardly any economic growth to Australia after 15 years. The government has refused to do any studies on the impact of the deal without the US, but
any economic benefit would be even less,”
said Dr Ranald.
“The Australian government had already quietly conceded that a TPP without the US was unlikely by concluding a separate
deal with Peru yesterday. Unfortunately this also includes ISDS.
Australia does not need the zombie TPP. We call for an end to secrecy and release of the text of all trade deals for
independent studies of their social, health and economic impacts before they are signed,” said Dr Ranald.