Trans-Pacific Partnership

NCBA Comments:

Canada's Interest in Joining TPP

Japan's Interest in Joining TPP

Mexico's Interest In Joining TPP

Overview

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a multi-lateral trade agreement currently being negotiated by the United States, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore Vietnam, Canada, and Mexico.

TPP has the potential to be the beginning of a new era in global trade where tariff and non-tariff barriers are eliminated and standards are based on sound, objective science instead of political protectionism.

NCBA encourages the United States to push for full and free market access to all TPP countries; eliminating high tariff rates and quotas that limit our ability to compete for consumers. NCBA wants prices to be determined by market demand instead of being inflated by protectionist trade barriers.

One of the greatest hindrances to U.S. beef trade is non-tariff trade barriers. Specifically, U.S. beef is has been subject to non-science based standards in multiple countries for many years. This has been very disruptive for the U.S. beef industry and has caused an enormous amount of damage to U.S. beef trade.

According to Cattlefax, a global leader in beef industry research, analysis, and information, the U.S. beef industry lost nearly $22 billion in potential sales through 2010 due to bans/restrictions related to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). We cannot afford to perpetuate politically-motivated standards as a justification for public safety.

All TPP countries must agree to and abide by the highest sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards (SPS) possible, in accordance with the World Trade Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Allowing individual countries to use subjective standards will promote greater instability and will keep TPP from reaching its full potential. No exceptions can be made. Internationally recognized sound-science must be the basis for SPS and all countries must abide by those standards in order for TPP to truly succeed.