Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 26
Philippines, UAE, Indonesia Begin CPTPP Accession Talks With 12-Nation Bloc
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 26

Philippines, UAE, Indonesia Begin CPTPP Accession Talks With 12-Nation Bloc

2 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 26

Summary

  • Senior officials from the 12-member CPTPP will open preparatory accession discussions with the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, marking the next formal step toward membership.
  • The talks advance the three countries' push to widen free-trade links through one of the region's biggest trade pacts.
  • The bloc now has 12 members, with Japan, Canada, Australia and the UK among its largest economies after the United States quit the pact in 2017.
  • Singapore released the joint statement on Friday, underscoring the CPTPP's continued expansion beyond its original Asia-Pacific core.

Insights

With new members from Asia and the Middle East, is the CPTPP becoming a true rival to the WTO?
Can nations like Indonesia reap CPTPP's economic gains while protecting their vital domestic industries from foreign competition?