[CTC] Ptritzker: Concessions to get TPP votes

[Arthur Stamoulis]

Washington Trade Daily
Volume 25, Number 208 Monday, October 17, 2016

Ptritzker: Concessions to get TPP votes
 
The Administration is working on some “potential concessions” that might help to get the
TransPacific Partnership approved by Congress in the post-election “lame duck” session, Commerce
Secretary Penny Pritzker said Friday (WTD, 10/14/16). Speaking to the Pacific Council on
International Policy in Los Angeles, Ms. Pritzker said the Administration remains “absolutely
committed” to approval of the agreement.
 
In particular, the Administration is working to make sure the US pharmaceutical industry is
comfortable with the level of intellectual property protection in the agreement for biologics, she said.
There will be no renegotiation of the agreement, she added.
 
Ms. Pritzker said US leadership is at stake. Washington led the negotiations, insisting on high
standards, she said. If the United States fails to follow through on the TPP after the 11 other countries
made major concessions to get a deal, they will turn elsewhere for leadership.
Supporters need to talk about the economic and national security benefits of the deal, she said.
The Administration’s strong record on trade enforcement also should to help assuage concerns about the
TPP, she said.
 
In a race against time, Japan’s economy minister called for early ratification of the Trans-Pacific
Partnership free-trade agreement on Oct. 14, kicking off debate on the centerpiece issue of the current
Diet session, the Asahi Shimbun reported (WTD, 10/14/16). “It is important for Japan to take the
initiative and lead the United States in efforts to put the deal into force as soon as possible,” Nobuteru
Ishihara said at the Lower House’s Special Committee.
 
The government and the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito want the
Lower House to pass legislation on approving the TPP by Nov. 8, the date of the U.S. presidential
election. The early passage is intended to put pressure on Washington to ratify the TPP, one of the
world’s most ambitious trade pact involving 12 nations, while President Barack Obama is still in office.
Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the two main contenders for the White House, have expressed
opposition to the pact.
 
Early ratification of the TPP would also give the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a
reason to reject a possible U.S. request to renegotiate the trade pact under the newly-elected president,
sources said. However, the main opposition Democratic Party objected to the government’s move to
start discussions so soon in the Diet session. “We should not debate it before the United States decides its
policy toward the TPP following the presidential election,” said Hiroshi Ogushi, chief of the party’s
Policy Research Committee.
 
Although the LDP tried to meet the opposition party halfway by suggesting Diet discussions
could start on Oct. 17, several officials said the government insisted on beginning the debate on Oct. 14.
 

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