USTR Changes Public Role for TPP Talks in Dallas April 8-16
The next round of talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership will have a somewhat different format for public interest participation, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative confirmed. In the new format, outside parties will not be able to make presentations to negotiators and stakeholders about their views, as part of the talks, but will instead be given space to set up exhibits and booths at which they can communicate with negotiators, the press or others.
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The latest round of TPP talks is set for April 8-16 in Dallas. The U.S., plus Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam, agreed in November 2011 to negotiate improved trans-Pacific trade opportunities, with the goal of reaching agreement this year.
There was some opposition to the new format. "The change ... represents a significant backtracking for public interest participation in a process that is already incredibly closed." said American University Professor Sean Flynn. "USTR's removal of presentations from the stakeholder participation process leaves the impression that it is trying to decrease the influence of public interest input into the process my removing the ability to speak collectively to a broad cross current of negotiators at the same time."
Government officials, however, said the change was intended to give non-government attendees better opportunity to be heard. "This format simply offers a more direct opportunity to present information, provide materials, interact and dialogue with negotiators one-on-one or in country groups, to enable more valuable exchanges at this stage," USTR spokeswoman Carol Guthrie told us. "The United States discussed this format with all our TPP counterparts, considering that at this stage in the talks, individual discussions with interested stakeholders rather than general presentations would likely yield more valuable input for negotiators."