Sen. Cardin Pushes for Stronger Governance Measure in TPP
The U.S. needs to push harder to ensure the Trans-Pacific Partnership includes rules to scale back corruption and rights abuses in several TPP negotiating parties, said Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., at an event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-Australia free trade agreement. Cardin pointed to restricted freedoms in Vietnam, Malaysian human trafficking operations and attacks against the LGBT community in Brunei. Many trade critics also point to labor rights abuses in Mexico (see 1502260056).
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The U.S. and Australia, both TPP members, have a “responsibility in the TPP” to tackle such governance issues through the pact, said Cardin, a Finance committee member and the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations East Asian subcommittee. “We want to get the TPP with these countries. We want a successful completion,” said Cardin. “So Australia and the United States can ensure we elevate this so that good governance becomes part of our expectations.” Bribery in these countries will also prevent a “level playing field” for U.S. companies, he said. TPP parties still have a "way to go" on these issues, Cardin added.
The TPP is poised to promoted the U.S.-Australian "shared values" of open markets and civil liberties, said Cardin. Although Australia strongly supports TPP (see 1503180062), the Obama administration hasn't indicated it will conceded more market access for sensitive bilateral products (see 14100601).