[CTC] End of Year IPEF Target Looms

[Arthur Stamoulis]

Politico Pro
 
END OF YEAR IPEF TARGET LOOMS: USTR Katherine Tai is hosting a ministerial meeting tomorrow, where she will “note progress” as well as “outline ongoing engagement” when it comes to the Trade pillar <https://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8333f2fac07c2ef1d7e763ebc0a9616d6f88b77214034945d1dd0304216037e4ff3cfc42e077644614aa799ce89702af548a0cb8deb9bc6f> of the Biden administration’s signature regional strategy known as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity.

USTR extended invitations to officials from each of the 13 countries engaged in discussions with Washington. The ministerial comes on the heels of the fifth IPEF negotiating round which took place in Thailand, and as USTR eyes an end-of-year deadline for “substantial progress” on the trade pillar, which is expected to include some of the most contentious negotiations over issues like forced labor, the environment and the digital economy.

Six and counting: Malaysia agreed to host the next negotiating round, which will take place sometime this month, according to comments from U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia Brian McFeeters, who spoke to Bernama TV's “The Nation” in August <https://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8333f2fac07c2ef16cb4c321d4b2e9a28e293411b93a27e215c7b664f8061819c94b6987f294fcbfa0220b1b55c90a2fe73de8fae0b21740>.

“A lot of U.S. factories are depending directly on something made in Malaysia, so we have a mutually beneficial economic relationship that has been developed to this day,” McFeeters said. "The [negotiation] round in October is particularly important because by November this year, the U.S. is hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting where we will announce the results of the discussions.”

Keep in mind: USTR’s chief agricultural negotiator, Doug McKalip, said the goal was to get a final IPEF deal by November <https://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8333f2fac07c2ef1ed471a348af1facf5753dbedda07b11aab5ae0b0f58afa424b3bb6b796ac697c4f6cecd45b99f10700d7d6169ea82af7>, but admitted he did not know if that would include the digital provisions that remain hotly contested.

USTR spokesperson Angela Perez told Morning Trade that “the Bangkok round was already the fifth negotiating round in nine months. With this ambitious schedule, we remain committed to delivering real and meaningful outcomes as quickly as possible and we’re optimistic that we’ll have more to share over the course of this year.”
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