[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]White House posts text of Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement[/title][fusion_text]Thursday, November 5th 2015
The White House has posted the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, triggering the start of a public review process. The 30 chapters of the TPP agreement include a sanitary and phytosanitary measures section meant to prevent countries from using standards for food safety and animal and plant health as trade barriers. There are other chapters on market access, rules of origin, trade remedies, intellectual property and environment. Under the Trade Promotion Authority law enacted this summer, the text of a trade agreement must be released at least 60 days before President Obama can sign it. The 12-nation TPP still must be ratified by Congress. Included in the TPP release are a number of side letters detailing bilateral understandings between the United States, Australia, Vietnam, Mexico and other TPP countries on treating issues such as sugar, catfish and geographical indications. The White House will be leaning heavily on agribusiness interests to win congressional approval. According to an internal analysis by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, 150 of the 218 House votes for TPA in June were from members who represent “agriculturally oriented” districts.
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth]