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• U.S. - Japan Relations [October 23, 2018]

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  "Japan is a significant partner of the United States in a number of foreign policy areas, particularly security issues, which range from hedging against Chinese military modernization to countering threats from North Korea. The U.S. - Japan military alliance, formed in 1952, grants the U.S. military the right to base U.S. troops -- currently numbering around 50,000 -- and other military assets on Japanese territory in return for a U.S. pledge to protect Japan's security. Japan also is the United States' fourth largest trading partner and second largest source of foreign direct investment, and Japanese investors are the second largest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries. For the first year of the Trump presidency, bilateral relations remained strong, as least on the surface, throughout several visits and leaders' meetings, cemented by a common approach to North Korea. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Trump presented a united front on dealing with Pyongyang's nuclear weapon test and multiple missile launches and Abe wholeheartedly endorsed the Trump Administration's 'maximum pressure' approach."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Manyin, Mark E.; Williams, Brock R.

  2018-10-23
• Trump Administration Tariff Actions: Frequently Asked Questions [February 22, 2019]

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  From the Document, "The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority over the regulation of foreign commerce. Over the past several decades, Congress has authorized the President to adjust tariffs and other trade restrictions in certain circumstances through specific trade laws. Using these delegated authorities under three trade laws, President Trump has imposed increased tariffs, largely in the range of 10% - 25%, on a variety of U.S. imports to address concerns related to national security, injury to competing industries, and China's trade practices on forced technology transfer and intellectual property rights, among other issues. Several U.S. trade partners argue that these tariff actions violate existing U.S. commitments under multilateral and bilateral or regional trade agreements and have imposed tariffs on U.S. exports in retaliation. Congress continues to actively examine and debate these tariffs, and several bills have been introduced either to expand, limit, or revise existing authorities."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; Cimino-Isaacs, Cathleen D.; Fefer, Rachel F. . . .

  2019-02-22
• African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) [Updated July 18, 2019]

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  From the Overview: "What is AGOA [African Growth and Opportunity Act]? AGOA, a cornerstone of U.S. trade policy toward sub-Saharan Africa since 2000, is a nonreciprocal U.S. trade preference program that provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for most exports from eligible sub-Saharan African countries. In addition to preferential market access, the Act also requires an annual forum, known as the AGOA Forum, held between U.S. and AGOA country officials to discuss trade-related issues. Additionally, AGOA provides direction to select U.S. government agencies regarding their trade and investment support activities in the region."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.

  2019-07-18
• Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Timeline [Updated August 9, 2019]

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  From the Document: "The trade practices of U.S. trading partners and the U.S. trade deficit are a focus of the Trump Administration. Citing these and other concerns, the President has imposed tariff increases under three U.S. laws: (1) Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Table 1) on U.S. imports of washing machines and solar products; (2) Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (Table 2) on U.S. imports of steel and aluminum, and potentially motor vehicles/parts and titanium sponge (the President decided not to impose tariffs on uranium imports, after an investigation); and (3) Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Table 3) on U.S. imports from China. Congress delegated aspects of its constitutional authority to regulate foreign commerce to the President through these trade laws."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; Hammond, Keigh E.

  2019-08-09
• Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Affected Trade [Updated August 9, 2019]

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  From the Document: "The trade practices of U.S. trading partners and the U.S. trade deficit are a focus of the Trump Administration. Citing these and other concerns, the President has imposed tariff increases under three U.S. laws: (1) Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 on U.S. imports of washing machines and solar products; (2) Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 on U.S. imports of steel and aluminum, and potentially motor vehicles/parts and titanium sponge (the President decided not to impose tariffs on uranium imports, after an investigation); and (3) Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on U.S. imports from China."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; Hammond, Keigh E.

  2019-08-09
• Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Timeline [Updated August 16, 2019]

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  From the Document: "The trade practices of U.S. trading partners and the U.S. trade deficit are a focus of the Trump Administration. Citing these and other concerns, the President has imposed tariff increases under three U.S. laws: (1) Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Table 1) on U.S. imports of washing machines and solar products; (2) Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (Table 2) on U.S. imports of steel and aluminum, and potentially motor vehicles/parts and titanium sponge (the President decided not to impose tariffs on uranium imports, after an investigation); and (3) Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Table 3) on U.S. imports from China."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; Hammond, Keigh E.

  2019-08-16
• U.S. Trade Policy: Background and Current Issues [Updated July 22, 2019]

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  From the Document: "Congress plays a major role in U.S. trade policy through constitutional authority over tariffs and foreign commerce (Article 1, §8). Since World War II, U.S. trade policy has generally sought to: [1] liberalize markets by reducing trade and investment barriers through agreements and negotiations; [2] foster an open and nondiscriminatory rules-based trading system, including through the World Trade Organization (WTO); [3] enforce trade commitments and laws; [4] support economic growth; and [5] offer relief to U.S. firms and workers from import competition and 'unfair' foreign trade practices. The Trump Administration's trade policy actions continue to present legislative and oversight issues for the 116th Congress, including on: significant unilateral tariff actions, a renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and economic engagement and confrontation with China and other trading partners."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Akhtar, Shayerah Ilias; Fergusson, Ian F.; Williams, Brock R.

  2019-07-22
• African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) [February 7, 2020]

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  From the Document: "On May 30, 2019, the framework agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) entered into force. Trading under the agreement, however, is not expected to occur until mid-2020 at the earliest, as negotiations continue on critical commitments, including tariff liberalization schedules. If fully realized, the AfCFTA would cover 54 countries (the largest of any regional trade bloc), creating a market encompassing 1.2 billion people with combined economic output in 2018 of $2.5 trillion. Through the AfCFTA, the African Union (AU) seeks to create a pan-African free trade area liberalizing the flow of goods and services, thereby increasing intra-African trade and enhancing regional development prospects. All but one (Eritrea) of the AU's 55 members have signed the agreement, and 29 had ratified it as of January 2020. Many observers hailed the AfCFTA agreement's entry into force as a milestone in African economic integration. Its impact, however, will depend on future negotiations and on its successful implementation in a region in which some past trade integration efforts have fallen short of their ambitions. The United States, partly as directed by Congress, has provided assistance to expand Africa's intra-regional and global trade through various initiatives. The Trump Administration broadly supports the AfCFTA and has pledged U.S. assistance for its implementation--but has also stated interest in negotiating one or more bilateral trade agreements in the region, which could potentially complicate AfCFTA negotiations and implementation."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; Cook, Nicolas

  2020-02-07
• Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Timeline [Updated September 12, 2019]

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  From the Document: "The trade practices of U.S. trading partners and the U.S. trade deficit are a focus of the Trump Administration. Citing these and other concerns, the President has imposed tariff increases under three U.S. laws. [...] Increasing U.S. tariffs or imposing other import restrictions through these laws potentially opens the United States to complaints that it is violating its WTO [World Trade Organization] and free trade agreement (FTA) commitments. Several U.S. trading partners, including China and the European Union, have initiated dispute settlement proceedings and imposed retaliatory tariffs in response. The retaliatory actions also raise questions with regard to their adherence to WTO commitments, which the United States has raised at the WTO."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; Hammond, Keigh E.

  2019-09-12
• Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Affected Trade [Updated September 12, 2019]

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  From the Document: "The trade practices of U.S. trading partners and the U.S. trade deficit are a focus of the Trump Administration. [...] While tariffs may benefit a limited number of import-competing firms, they also increase costs for downstream users of imported products and consumers and may have broader negative effects on the U.S. economy, as well as several policy implications. The multiple tariff increases applied to date, ranging from 10% to 45%, affect approximately 15% of U.S. annual imports. This amounts to $393.3 billion of imports using 2018 annual data; notably, the tariffs went into effect at various times in 2018 and 2019."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; Hammond, Keigh E.

  2019-09-12
• U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement Negotiations [Updated January 16, 2020]

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  From the Overview: "On October 7, 2019, after six months of formal negotiations, the United States and Japan signed two agreements intended to liberalize bilateral trade. The U.S.- Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA) provides for limited tariff reductions and quota expansions to improve market access. The U.S.-Japan Digital Trade Agreement covers rules on digital aspects of international commerce. The agreements, which took effect on January 1, 2020, without formal action by Congress, constitute what the Trump and Abe Administrations envision as 'stage one' of a broader U.S.- Japan trade agreement, with future negotiations expected in coming months. The Administration used delegated tariff authorities in Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to proclaim the USJTA provisions, while the digital trade agreement, which did not require changes to U.S. law, was treated as an Executive Agreement."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Cimino-Isaacs, Cathleen D.; Williams, Brock R.

  2020-01-16
• South Korea: Background and U.S. Relations [Updated December 11, 2019]

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  From the Overview: "South Korea (officially the Republic of Korea, or ROK) is one of the United States' most important strategic and economic partners in Asia. The U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty, signed in 1953 at the end of the Korean War, commits the United States to help South Korea defend itself, particularly from North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK), and the alliance has given the United States a partner and a forward presence in Asia that help it promote U.S. interests in East Asia. Approximately 28,500 U.S. troops are based in the ROK. The U.S.-ROK economic relationship is bolstered by the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA). South Korea is the United States' seventh-largest trading partner, and the United States is South Korea's second-largest trading partner, behind China."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Manyin, Mark E.; Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Williams, Brock R.

  2019-12-11
• Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Timeline [Updated January 29, 2020]

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  From the Document: "The trade practices of U.S. trading partners and the U.S. trade deficit are a focus of the Trump Administration. Citing these and other concerns, the President has imposed tariff increases under three U.S. laws: (1) Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Table 1) on U.S. imports of washing machines and solar products due to concerns over their injurious effects on domestic U.S. industry; (2) Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (Table 2) on U.S. imports of steel and aluminum, and potentially motor vehicles/parts and titanium sponge due to concerns that imports threaten to impair the national security; and (3) Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on U.S. imports from China (Table 3) due to concerns over its intellectual property rights practices, from the European Union (EU) due to concerns over subsidies on the manufacture of large civil aircraft, and potentially on U.S. imports from France (Table 4) due to concerns over its digital services tax (DST)."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Hammond, Keigh E.; Williams, Brock R.

  2020-01-29
• Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Affected Trade [Updated January 29, 2020]

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  From the Document: "The trade practices of U.S. trading partners and the U.S. trade deficit are a focus of the Trump Administration. Citing these and other concerns, the President has imposed tariff increases under three U.S. laws: (1) Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 on U.S. imports of washing machines and solar products, due to concerns over their injurious effects on domestic U.S. industry; (2) Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 on U.S. imports of steel and aluminum, and potentially motor vehicles and titanium sponge, due to concerns that imports threaten to impair the national security; and (3) Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on U.S. imports from China, due to concerns over intellectual property rights and other practices, on U.S. imports from the European Union (EU) due to concerns over subsidies on the manufacture of large civil aircraft, and potentially on U.S. imports from France due to concerns over its digital services tax (DST)."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Hammond, Keigh E.; Williams, Brock R.

  2020-01-29
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Negotiations and Issues for Congress [December 13, 2013]

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  "The TPP [Trans-Pacific Partnership] serves several strategic goals in U.S. trade policy. First, it is the leading trade policy initiative of the Obama Administration, and is a manifestation of the Administration's 'rebalance' to the Asia-Pacific. If concluded, it may serve to shape the economic architecture of the Asia- Pacific region by harmonizing existing agreements with U.S. FTA [Free Trade Agreement] partners, attracting new participants, and establishing regional rules on new policy issues facing the global economy-- possibly providing impetus to future multilateral liberalization under the WTO [World Trade Organization]. As the negotiations proceed, a number of issues important to Congress are emerging. One is whether the United States can balance its vision of creating a 'comprehensive and high standard' agreement with a large and expanding group of countries, while not insisting on terms that other countries will reject. Another issue is how Congress will consider the TPP, if concluded. The present negotiations are not being conducted under the auspices of formal trade promotion authority (TPA)--the latest TPA expired on July 1, 2007--although the Administration informally is following the procedures of the former TPA. If TPP implementing legislation is brought to Congress, TPA may need to be considered if the legislation is not to be subject to potentially debilitating amendments or rejection. In addition, Members of Congress may wish to consider whether the current chapters included in the agreement appropriately address their trade policy concerns, as well as the potential agreement's impact on the multilateral trading system."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fergusson, Ian F.; Cooper, William H., 1949-; Jurenas, Remy . . .

  2013-12-13
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): In Brief [February 9, 2016]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) among 12 Asia-Pacific countries, which the Obama Administration casts as comprehensive and high standard, with economic and strategic significance for the United States. The 12 countries (including the United States) announced the conclusion of the TPP negotiations and released the text of the agreement in late 2015. Trade ministers from the TPP countries signed the final agreement text on February 4, 2016, but Congress would need to pass implementing legislation for the agreement to enter into force for the United States. It would be eligible to receive expedited legislative consideration under Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), P.L. 114-26, if Congress determines the Administration has advanced the TPA negotiating objectives, and has met various notification and consultation requirements. Through the TPP, the participating countries seek to liberalize trade and investment and establish new rules and disciplines in the region beyond those that already exist in the World Trade Organization (WTO). The FTA is envisioned as a living agreement open to future members and new issues and may become a vehicle to advance a wider Asia-Pacific free trade area. Indonesia, the Philippines, and South Korea have recently indicated their interest in joining the TPP. It is also a U.S. policy response to the rapidly increasing economic and strategic linkages among Asian-Pacific nations and has become the economic centerpiece of the Administration's 'rebalance' toward the region. […]This report briefly summarizes some of the key provisions listed generally in alphabetical order. Additional analysis of the agreement will be forthcoming."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fergusson, Ian F.; McMinimy, Mark A.; Williams, Brock R.

  2016-02-09
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): In Brief [January 8, 2016]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) among 12 Asia-Pacific countries, with both economic and strategic significance for the United States. If approved, it would be the largest FTA in which the United States participates. The 12 countries announced the conclusion of the TPP negotiations on October 5, 2015, after several years of ongoing talks. The President released the text of the agreement and notified Congress of his intent to sign on November 5, 2015. Congress would need to pass implementing legislation for a final TPP agreement to enter into force for the United States. [...] The Obama Administration, joined by many analysts as well as many policymakers in the region, has argued that the strategic value of a potential TPP agreement parallels its economic value, contending that the agreement would strengthen U.S. allies and partners and reaffirm U.S. economic leadership in the region. The President has repeatedly highlighted the importance of maintaining U.S. leadership in crafting global trade rules, notably with reference to potentially alternative Chinese initiatives. China is not a party to the TPP. Others argue that past trade pacts have had a limited impact on broad foreign policy dynamics."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fergusson, Ian F.; McMinimy, Mark A.; Williams, Brock R.

  2016-01-08
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Negotiations and Issues for Congress [January 30, 2015]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional free trade agreement (FTA) being negotiated among the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. U.S. negotiators and others describe and envision the TPP as a 'comprehensive and high-standard' FTA that aims to liberalize trade in nearly all goods and services and include rules-based commitments beyond those currently established in the World Trade Organization (WTO). The broad outline of an agreement was announced on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial in November 2011, in Honolulu, HI. If concluded as envisioned, the TPP potentially could eliminate tariff and nontariff barriers to trade and investment among the parties and could serve as a template for a future trade pact among APEC members and potentially other countries. […] Another issue is how Congress will consider the TPP, if concluded. The present negotiations are not being conducted under the auspices of formal trade promotion authority (TPA)--the latest TPA expired on July 1, 2007--although the Administration informally is following the procedures of the former TPA. Different views exist regarding the appropriate timing of potential TPA legislation relative to the possible conclusion of the TPP. Other issues include whether the current chapters included in the agreement appropriately address congressional trade policy concerns and how the potential agreement may impact the multilateral trading system and other trade negotiations, including for a proposed U.S.-EU Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) agreement."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fergusson, Ian F.; McMinimy, Mark A.; Williams, Brock R.

  2015-01-30
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Negotiations and Issues for Congress [March 20, 2015]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional free trade agreement (FTA) being negotiated among the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. […] As a leading trade policy initiative of the Obama Administration, the TPP serves several strategic goals. It is a manifestation of the Administration's 'rebalance' to the Asia-Pacific, and if concluded, may serve to shape the economic architecture of the region. It has the potential to harmonize existing agreements with U.S. FTA partners, attract new participants, and establish regional rules on new policy issues facing the global economy--possibly providing impetus to future multilateral liberalization under the WTO [World Trade Organization]. As the negotiations proceed, a number of issues important to Congress have emerged. One is whether the United States can balance its vision of creating a 'comprehensive and high standard' agreement with a large and expanding group of countries, while not insisting on terms that other countries will reject. Another issue is how Congress will consider the TPP, if concluded. The present negotiations are not being conducted under the auspices of formal trade promotion authority (TPA)--the latest TPA expired on July 1, 2007--although the Administration informally is following the procedures of the former TPA. Different views exist regarding the appropriate timing of potential TPA legislation relative to the possible conclusion of the TPP. Other issues include whether the current chapters included in the agreement appropriately address congressional trade policy concerns and how the potential agreement may impact the multilateral trading system and other trade negotiations, including for a proposed U.S.-EU Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) agreement."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fergusson, Ian F.; McMinimy, Mark A.; Williams, Brock R.

  2015-03-20
• Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Issues for Congress [April 15, 2013]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a potential free trade agreement (FTA) among 11, and perhaps more, countries. The United States and 10 other countries of the Asia-Pacific region-- Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam--are negotiating the text of the FTA. With 29 chapters under negotiation, the TPP partners envision the agreement to be 'comprehensive and high-standard,' in that they seek to eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade in goods, services, and agriculture, and to establish rules on a wide range of issues including foreign direct investment and other economic activities. They also strive to create a '21st-century agreement' that addresses new and crosscutting issues presented by an increasingly globalized economy. The TPP draws congressional interest on a number of fronts. Congress would have to approve implementing legislation for U.S. commitments under the agreement to enter into force. In addition, under long-established executive-legislative practice, the Administration notifies and consults with congressional leaders, before, during, and after trade agreements have been negotiated. Furthermore, the TPP will likely affect a range of sectors and regions of the U.S. economy of direct interest to Members of Congress and could influence the shape and path of U.S. trade policy for the foreseeable future. This report examines the issues related to the proposed TPP, the state and substance of the negotiations (to the degree that the information is publically available), the specific areas under negotiation, the policy and economic contexts in which the TPP would fit, and the issues for Congress that the TPP presents. The report will be revised and updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fergusson, Ian F.; Cooper, William H., 1949-; Jurenas, Remy . . .

  2013-04-15
• Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Issues for Congress [March 19, 2013]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional free trade agreement (FTA) being negotiated among the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. On March 15, 2013, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Japan would seek to participate in the TPP negotiations. [...] The 16th round of negotiations concluded in Singapore on March 14, 2013, and the 17th round is scheduled to be held in Lima, Peru in May 2013. The current goal is to reach an agreement in time for the October 2013 APEC summit in Indonesia. For this deadline to be achieved, outstanding negotiating positions may need to be tabled soon in order for political decisions to be made. [...] As the negotiations proceed, a number of issues important to Congress are emerging. One is whether the United States can balance its vision of creating a 'comprehensive and high standard' agreement with a large and expanding group of countries, while not insisting on terms that other countries will reject. Another issue is how Congress will consider the TPP, if concluded. The present negotiations are not being conducted under the auspices of formal trade promotion authority (TPA)--the latest TPA expired on July 1, 2007--although the Administration informally is following the procedures of the former TPA. If TPP implementing legislation is brought to Congress, TPA may need to be considered if the legislation is not to be subject to potentially debilitating amendments or rejection. Finally, Congress may seek to weigh in on the addition of new members to the negotiations, before or after the negotiations conclude."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fergusson, Ian F.; Cooper, William H., 1949-; Jurenas, Remy . . .

  2013-03-19
• Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Issues for Congress [August 21, 2013]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional free trade agreement (FTA) being negotiated among the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. On March 15, 2013, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Japan would seek to participate in the TPP negotiations. On April 24, 2013, the Obama Administration gave Congress notice of its intent to negotiate with Japan in the TPP, and Japan participated for the first time in the round of negotiations in Malaysia during late July 2013. [...] The TPP serves several strategic goals in U.S. trade policy. First, it is the leading trade policy initiative of the Obama Administration, and is a manifestation of the Administration's 'pivot' to Asia. If concluded, it may serve to shape the economic architecture of the Asia-Pacific region by harmonizing existing agreements with U.S. FTA partners, attracting new participants, and establishing regional rules on new policy issues facing the global economy--possibly providing impetus to future multilateral liberalization under the WTO [World Trade Organization]. As the negotiations proceed, a number of issues important to Congress are emerging. One is whether the United States can balance its vision of creating a 'comprehensive and high standard' agreement with a large and expanding group of countries, while not insisting on terms that other countries will reject. Another issue is how Congress will consider the TPP, if concluded. The present negotiations are not being conducted under the auspices of formal trade promotion authority (TPA)--the latest TPA expired on July 1, 2007--although the Administration informally is following the procedures of the former TPA. If TPP implementing legislation is brought to Congress, TPA may need to be considered if the legislation is not to be subject to potentially debilitating amendments or rejection. Finally, Congress may seek to weigh in on the addition of new members to the negotiations, before or after the negotiations conclude."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fergusson, Ian F.; Cooper, William H., 1949-; Jurenas, Remy . . .

  2013-08-21
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Countries: Comparative Trade and Economic Analysis [January 29, 2013]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional free trade agreement (FTA) currently under negotiation between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam. The negotiating partners have expressed an interest in allowing this proposed 'living agreement' to cover new trade topics and to include new members that are willing to adopt the proposed agreement's high standards. Canada and Mexico are the most recent countries to join the negotiations and Japan has participated in consultations with the partner countries about the possibility of joining. […] This report provides a comparative economic analysis of the TPP countries and their economic relations with the United States. It suggests that the TPP negotiating partners encompass great diversity in population, economic development, and trade and investment patterns with the United States. This economic diversity and inclusion of fast-growing emerging markets presents both opportunities and challenges for the United States in achieving a comprehensive and high standard regional FTA among TPP countries."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.

  2013-01-29
• Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Issues for Congress [June 17, 2013]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional free trade agreement (FTA) being negotiated among the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. On March 15, 2013, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Japan would seek to participate in the TPP negotiations. On April 24, 2013, the Obama Administration gave Congress notice of its intent to negotiate with Japan in the TPP, and Japan is expected to participate in the next round of negotiations in late July 2013. U.S. negotiators and others describe and envision the TPP as a 'comprehensive and high-standard' FTA that aims to liberalize trade in nearly all goods and services and include commitments beyond those currently established in the World Trade Organization (WTO). The broad outline of an agreement was announced on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial in November 2011, in Honolulu, HI. If concluded as envisioned, the TPP potentially could eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade and investment among the parties and could serve as a template for a future trade pact among APEC members and potentially other countries. Congress has a direct interest in the negotiations, both through influencing U.S. negotiating positions with the executive branch, and by passing legislation to implement any resulting agreement."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; Jurenas, Remy; Cooper, William H., 1949- . . .

  2013-06-17
• Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Issues for Congress [January 24, 2013]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a potential free trade agreement (FTA) among 11, and perhaps more, countries. The United States and 10 other countries of the Asia-Pacific region-- Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam--are negotiating the text of the FTA. Canada and Mexico participated for the first time in the Auckland round of negotiations in December 2012, and Japan and Thailand are also considering the possibility of joining. With 29 chapters under negotiation, the TPP partners envision the agreement to be 'comprehensive and high-standard,' in that they seek to eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade in goods, services, and agriculture, and to establish rules on a wide range of issues including foreign direct investment and other economic activities. They also strive to create a '21st-century agreement' that addresses new and cross-cutting issues presented by an increasingly globalized economy. […] This report examines the issues related to the proposed TPP, the state and substance of the negotiations (to the degree that the information is publically available), the specific areas under negotiation, the policy and economic contexts in which the TPP would fit, and the issues for Congress that the TPP presents. The report will be revised and updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; Jurenas, Remy; Cooper, William H., 1949- . . .

  2013-01-24
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Countries: Comparative Trade and Economic Analysis [June 10, 2013]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional free trade agreement (FTA) among 12 countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam. The negotiating partners have expressed an interest in allowing this proposed 'living agreement' to cover new trade topics and to include new members that are willing to adopt the proposed agreement's high standards. Japan is the most recent country to seek entry into the TPP. The Administration gave Congress notice of its intent to negotiate with Japan in the TPP on April 24, 2013. The TPP negotiations have been of significant interest to Congress. Congressional involvement includes consultations with U.S. negotiators on and oversight of the details of the negotiations, and eventual consideration of legislation to implement the final trade agreement. In assessing the TPP negotiations, Members may be interested in understanding the potential economic impact and significance of TPP and the economic characteristics of the other TPP countries as they evaluate the potential impact of the proposed TPP on the U.S. economy and the commercial opportunities for expansion into TPP markets. This report provides a comparative economic analysis of the TPP countries and their economic relations with the United States. It suggests that the TPP negotiating partners encompass great diversity in population, economic development, and trade and investment patterns with the United States. This economic diversity and inclusion of fast-growing emerging markets presents both opportunities and challenges for the United States in achieving a comprehensive and high standard regional FTA among TPP countries."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.

  2013-06-10
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Countries: Comparative Trade and Economic Analysis [May 30, 2012]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional free trade agreement (FTA) currently under negotiation between Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam. The negotiating partners have expressed an interest in allowing this proposed 'living agreement' to cover new trade topics and to include new members that are willing to adopt the proposed agreement's high standards. To that end, Canada, Japan, and Mexico have begun consultations with the partner countries about the possibility of joining the negotiations. The TPP negotiations are of significant interest to Congress. Congressional involvement includes consultations with U.S. negotiators on and oversight of the details of the negotiations, and eventual consideration of legislation to implement the final trade agreement. In assessing the TPP negotiations, Members may be interested in understanding the potential economic impact and significance of TPP and the economic characteristics of the other TPP countries as they evaluate the potential impact of the proposed TPP on the U.S. economy and the commercial opportunities for expansion into TPP markets. This report provides a comparative economic analysis of the TPP countries and their economic relations with the United States. It suggests that the TPP negotiating partners encompass great diversity in population, economic development, and trade and investment patterns with the United States. This economic diversity and inclusion of fast-growing emerging markets presents both opportunities and challenges for the United States in achieving a comprehensive and high standard regional FTA among TPP countries."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.

  2012-05-30
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Negotiations and Issues for Congress [November 19, 2014]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a potential free trade agreement (FTA) among 12, and perhaps more, countries. The United States and 11 other countries of the Asia-Pacific region--Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam--are negotiating the text of the FTA. With over 20 chapters under negotiation, the TPP partners envision the agreement to be 'comprehensive and high-standard,' in that they seek to eliminate tariffs and nontariff barriers to trade in goods, services, and agriculture, and to establish or expand rules on a wide range of issues including intellectual property rights, foreign direct investment, and other trade-related issues. They also strive to create a '21st-century agreement' that addresses new and cross-cutting issues presented by an increasingly globalized economy. The TPP draws congressional interest on a number of fronts. Congress would have to approve implementing legislation for U.S. commitments under the agreement to enter into force. In addition, under long-established executive-legislative practice, the Administration notifies and consults with congressional leaders, before, during, and after trade agreements have been negotiated. Furthermore, the TPP will likely affect a range of sectors and regions of the U.S. economy of direct interest to Members of Congress and could influence the shape and path of U.S. trade policy for the foreseeable future. This report examines the issues related to the proposed TPP, the state and substance of the negotiations (to the degree that the information is publically available), the specific areas under negotiation, the policy and economic contexts in which the TPP would fit, and the issues for Congress that the TPP presents. The report will be revised and updated as events warrant."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fergusson, Ian F.; McMinimy, Mark A.; Williams, Brock R.

  2014-11-19
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Negotiations and Issues for Congress [November 7, 2014]

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  "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional free trade agreement (FTA) being negotiated among the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. U.S. negotiators and others describe and envision the TPP as a 'comprehensive and high-standard' FTA that aims to liberalize trade in nearly all goods and services and include rules-based commitments beyond those currently established in the World Trade Organization (WTO). […] As the negotiations proceed, a number of issues important to Congress have emerged. One is whether the United States can balance its vision of creating a 'comprehensive and high standard' agreement with a large and expanding group of countries, while not insisting on terms that other countries will reject. Another issue is how Congress will consider the TPP, if concluded. The present negotiations are not being conducted under the auspices of formal trade promotion authority (TPA)--the latest TPA expired on July 1, 2007--although the Administration informally is following the procedures of the former TPA. Different views exist regarding the appropriate timing of potential TPA legislation relative to the possible conclusion of the TPP. Other issues include whether the current chapters included in the agreement appropriately address congressional trade policy concerns and how the potential agreement may impact the multilateral trading system and other trade negotiations, including for a proposed U.S.-EU Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) agreement."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Brock R.; McMinimy, Mark A.; Fergusson, Ian F.

  2014-11-07
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): In Brief [November 19, 2015]

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  From the Summary: "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) among 12 Asia-Pacific countries, with both economic and strategic significance for the United States. If approved, it would be the largest FTA in which the United States participates. The 12 countries announced the conclusion of the TPP negotiations on October 5, 2015, after several years of ongoing talks. The President released the text of the agreement and notified Congress of his intent to sign on November 5, 2015. Congress would need to pass implementing legislation for a final TPP agreement to enter into force for the United States. Such legislation would be eligible to receive expedited legislative consideration under the recent grant of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), P.L. 114-26, if Congress determines the Administration has advanced the TPA negotiating objectives, and met various notification and consultation requirements. TPP negotiating parties include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam. […] The Obama Administration, joined by many analysts as well as many policymakers in the region, has argued that the strategic value of a potential TPP agreement parallels its economic value, contending that the agreement would strengthen U.S. allies and partners and reaffirm U.S. economic leadership in the region. The President has repeatedly highlighted the importance of maintaining U.S. leadership in crafting global trade rules, notably with reference to potentially alternative Chinese initiatives."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Fergusson, Ian F.; McMinimy, Mark A.; Williams, Brock R.

  2015-11-19