Politics

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share by Email

The 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership countries have reached an agreement on "core elements" of the trade pact, namely that all countries will adhere to strict labour and environment standards, a development Canada is championing as a major breakthrough after talks broke down earlier Friday.

A final agreement in principle is still in the works because the countries have not settled on all aspects of the deal.

The original TPP, which is currently under renegotiation after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled America out of the deal, included strong provisions that demanded all member countries eliminate child and forced labour, adopt and maintain laws and practices governing "acceptable conditions of work," and uphold the right to collective bargaining.

ADVERTISEMENT

But some countries, including Malaysia and Vietnam, sought to opt out of such provisions during the talks, something Canada felt was untenable.

Those countries have now come back onside, International Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne said, and have agreed to the terms of the original TPP.

"We got a better deal for Canada, we were also able to enhance the progressive elements — as the prime minister says you don't do trade in the 21st century like you did before," he said.

All countries have agreed now to implement regulations around minimum wages, hours of work and occupational safety and health, for example, something the original TPP called for.

Champagne said if a country does not adhere to these requirements as called for in the agreement, any country could haul another offending partner in front of a trade tribunal, and they would be subject to the dispute resolution process.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 11 partner countries have now put "four specific items" aside to allow for further negotiations, notably chapters relating to rules of origin, which includes automotive parts, before a deal is signed.

Show more Canadian International Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne speaks with the media in Danang, Vietnam. 0:51

"What we have achieved today is identifying the areas where work needs to be done," Champagne said.

The revised pact — which has been called "TPP11" by some observers owing to the number of countries party to the deal after the U.S. departure — will now be referred to as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).