Trans-Pacific Partnership International Business Discussion

1) Research the TPP.  There is plenty of information in the news about it, but make sure that your source is as un-biased as possible! It is a massive agreement but if you want to read it ... https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/trans-pacific-partnership/tpp-full-text

(2) Research the TPP as  deeply as possible, including what the impacts are of this agreement for  the United States and one of the other countries involved. 

3. Post your research and information you gather on the TPP Discussion Board below.   We will use this to create a picture of this Agreement and its  potential impacts on almost every facet of the global economy.   Don't  forget to include important information about your educated opinion of  this agreement, identify any winners and losers in the trade trade  agreement, and identify important articles that support your opinion. 

What is the TPP? (Trans-Pacific Partnership)? 

This Mega-Regional Trade Agreement  involves 12 countries: the US, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore,  Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Chile and Peru.The pact  aims to deepen economic ties between these nations, slashing tariffs and  fostering trade to boost growth. Member countries are also hoping to  foster a closer relationship on economic policies and regulation.The  agreement could create a new single market something like that of the  EU.Most goods and services are involved, but not all tariffs - which are  taxes on imports - are going to be removed and some will take longer  than others. In all, some 18,000 tariffs are affected.For example, the  signatories have said they will either eliminate or reduce tariffs and  other restrictive policies from agricultural products and industrial  goods. Tariffs on US manufactured goods and almost all US farm products  will go almost immediately once the deal is ratified.

But .... it's impacts are yet unknown. What is known is that is a Mega-Agreement.

The 12 countries have a collective  population of about 800 million - almost double that of the European  Union's single market. The 12-nation would-be bloc is already  responsible for 40% of world trade. The  deal is a remarkable achievement given the very different approaches  and standards within the member countries, including environmental  protection, workers' rights and regulatory coherence - not to mention  the special protections that some countries have for certain industries.

What do critics say?

They argue it it has been a  not-so-secret gambit to keep China at bay - which is not part of the  TPP. For its part, China has given the TPP  cautious welcome.   Others claim it paves the way for companies to sue governments that change policy on, say, health and education to favor state-provided services. The TPP will also intensify competition between countries' labor forces. But  the biggest criticism has been of what the campaigners allege were  secretive negotiations, in which governments were said to be seeking to  bring in sweeping changes without voters' knowledge. Defenders say the reason the negotiations were not made public was because there was no formal agreement on them.