[CTC] Fwd: Joint USTR and Department of Commerce Readout of the First Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Negotiating Round

[Arthur Stamoulis]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: USTR Press Office <ustrpressoffice at ustr.eop.gov>
Date: Thu, Dec 15, 2022 at 9:09 AM
Subject: Joint USTR and Department of Commerce Readout of the First
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Negotiating Round
To: <arthur at citizenstrade.org>


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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
December 15, 2022

*CONTACT*: media at ustr.eop.gov

*Joint USTR and Department of Commerce Readout of the First Indo-Pacific
Economic Framework Negotiating Round*

BRISBANE – The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and
the Department of Commerce joined the first negotiating round for the
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in Brisbane, Australia from December
10-15, 2022.  The round was hosted by Australia’s Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade.

The interagency U.S. delegation was led by Sarah Ellerman, IPEF Pillar I
Chief Negotiator and Assistant United States Trade Representative for
Southeast Asia and the Pacific (Acting), and Sharon H. Yuan, Department of
Commerce Counselor and Chief Negotiator.

Approximately 450 officials from the United States, Australia, Brunei,
Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New
Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam attended the
negotiating round.

Ahead of the meetings in Brisbane, USTR officials shared Pillar I (Trade)
negotiating text with IPEF Partners for the following topics: trade
facilitation, agriculture, services domestic regulation, and transparency
and good regulatory practices.  During these text-based discussions, IPEF
Partners shared their enthusiasm for creating a high-standard agreement
that can create sustainable and inclusive economic growth throughout the
region.

In addition to text-based discussions, USTR officials held detailed
conceptual discussions for the following topics under Pillar I:
environment, labor, digital economy, competition policy, and inclusivity.
The United States highlighted the ambitious scope of this pillar, which is
detailed in the ministerial statement
<https://ustr.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b58f12c4da47019d98a1e84ef&id=61ecb338ea&e=ce4a1cee7f>
that was released following the IPEF ministerial meeting in Los Angeles,
California in September 2022.

Before the negotiating round, the Department of Commerce shared text for
Pillar II (Supply Chains) and Pillar IV (Fair Economy: Tax and
Anti-Corruption), as well as a concept paper for Pillar III (Clean
Economy), with IPEF Partners.  Throughout the week, Department of Commerce
officials led in-depth discussions of these pillars with IPEF Partners.
IPEF Partners engaged in a productive exchange of ideas as they
collectively seek to achieve high-standard outcomes and deliver concrete
benefits to enhance the economic competitiveness of their respective
economies. Following the September convening in Los Angeles, the Department
of Commerce released ministerial statements for Pillars II
<https://ustr.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b58f12c4da47019d98a1e84ef&id=d31c27489d&e=ce4a1cee7f>,
III
<https://ustr.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b58f12c4da47019d98a1e84ef&id=b0269e7256&e=ce4a1cee7f>,
and IV
<https://ustr.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b58f12c4da47019d98a1e84ef&id=7e7d361a22&e=ce4a1cee7f>
.

Collectively, the four pillars that comprise the framework represent a
shared vision for an open, connected, prosperous, and resilient
Indo-Pacific region.

On the margins of the negotiating round, the U.S. delegation engaged a wide
variety of stakeholders on recent updates and conversations with IPEF
Partners.  Staff from the Senate Finance Committee and the House of
Representatives Committee on Ways and Means traveled to Brisbane and were
briefed by USTR and Department of Commerce officials.  USTR and the
Department of Commerce will continue to provide regular updates and
briefings to stakeholders and Congress as negotiations progress in keeping
with our strong commitment to transparency in the development and
implementation of the Biden-Harris Administration’s trade agenda.

The United States will continue to engage with IPEF Partners and will
participate in additional in-person negotiating rounds in 2023.  Additional
details regarding the next in-person negotiating round will be shared at a
later date.

For more information on IPEF, please visit www.ustr.gov/ipef
<https://ustr.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b58f12c4da47019d98a1e84ef&id=015fcc9091&e=ce4a1cee7f>
.


###
U.S. Trade Representative Press Office
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