Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)

SouthViews No. 139, 6 December 2016

Rethinking trade policy and protectionism in the Trump era

By Martin Khor

What kind of trade policy will the United States have under President Donald Trump? This is a hot issue, as Trump has made unorthodox pronouncements on trade issues during and after the election campaign. If he acts on even some of the positions he took, it will create a sea change in trade policy in the US and possibly the world. Trump has recently emphasised that he will take the US out of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) on his first day of office, and renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). (more…)

SouthViews No. 131, 25 August 2016

TPPA may fall victim to US political dynamics

By Martin Khor

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement has become a political football in the US Presidential elections and with the public mood so against trade agreements, the TPPA faces the real possibility of being discarded. No country was more active in pushing for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). In the five years of negotiations, the United States cajoled, persuaded and pressurised its trade partners to take on board its issues and positions. (more…)

SouthViews No. 103, 8 April 2014

A matter of life and death

By Martin Khor

Of all the issues currently being negotiated on the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, none are more important than the ability of patients to get life-saving medicines at affordable prices, which many fear may be a victim of the agreement. (more…)

SouthViews No. 100, 8 January 2014

When Foreign Investors Sue the State

By Martin Khor

The investor-state dispute system, whereby foreign investors can sue the government in an international tribunal, is one of the issues being negotiated in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement  and other free trade agreements.
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SouthViews No. 100, 8 January 2014

When Foreign Investors Sue the State

By Martin Khor

The investor-state dispute system, whereby foreign investors can sue the government in an international tribunal, is one of the issues being negotiated in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and other free trade agreements. In the recent public debate surrounding the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), an issue that seems to stand out is the investor-state dispute settlement system (ISDS). It enables foreign investors of TPPA countries to directly sue the host government in an international tribunal. (more…)

SouthViews No. 79, October 2013

Winds of change blowing in Asia

By Martin Khor

The APEC and TPPA summits in Bali recently showed the winds of change are blowing in the region, symbolised by the US President’s absence but also reflecting the aptness or otherwise of policies.

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SouthViews No. 65, 3 July 2013

Serious threat to Asian economic model

By Martin Khor

The successful East Asian model of “state-driven capitalism” is being threatened by proposals in the TPPA trade agreement to remove possible advantages of state-owned enterprises.

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