TPP in the Spotlight as February Signing Date Approaches

The international debate on the potential merits and pitfalls of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement has ramped up in recent weeks, ahead of the pact’s scheduled signing by the participating countries in New Zealand on 4 February. The English legal “scrub” of the 12-country agreement has now been completed, officials say, with New Zealand releasing the legally verified version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership text on 26 January. An earlier version of the text – prior to the completion the legal scrub – was released in early November. (See Bridges Weekly, 12 November 2015 ) As depositary of the agreement, New Zealand will also be releasing the French and Spanish verified versions, once those legal scrubs have been completed. Meanwhile, leaders from many TPP nations have been ramping up their efforts to build support for the pact, ahead of the start of the two-year ratification window. “The TPP is much more than a trade deal. The prosperity of the world, the security of the world has been founded on the peace and order in the Asia Pacific, which has been delivered underwritten by the United States and its allies, including Australia,” said Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in a joint press...