The Trans-Pacific Partnership: A Quest For A Twenty-First Century Trade Agreement

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks aim to connect at least nine countries across three continents to create a high-quality, twenty-first century agreement. This agreement seeks to open markets more than ever in sectors like goods, services, and investment, with strict rules on intellectual property, labor protection, and environmental conservation. It also aims to improve regulatory coherence, strengthen supply chains, and support small and medium-sized enterprises. The TPP could reshape relations in Latin America and pave the way for an Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area, or influence global trade rules under the WTO. However, strategic and economic tensions might prevent the final deal from going beyond a standard twentieth-century agreement.