New Zealand to Host TPP Signing in Two Weeks

New Zealand plans to host all 11 other members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership for the signing of the agreement on Feb. 4 in Auckland, New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay confirmed in a Jan. 21 statement (here). After signature, the nations will have up to two years to ratify the pact. A spokeswoman for Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, offered a cautious response. “It’s the administration’s decision to move forward with a signing ceremony, however a lot of outstanding issues remain,” she said in an email. “Chairman Hatch will continue with his oversight efforts to ensure the TPP trade agreement meets the high standards set by Congress and, if approved, will be fully and faithfully implemented by our trading partners.” Hatch has criticized the agreement’s data protections for biologics as weak (see 1511060028).

Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, in an email pressed the Obama Administration to address the TPP concerns of a mixed Congress before lawmakers OK it. "A good TPP agreement will benefit the U.S. economy and create jobs at home," Brady said in an email. "Members of Congress continue to raise significant concerns about the agreement that USTR has announced it will sign shortly. These concerns must be addressed if Congress is to approve this trade agreement. I continue to urge the Administration to work with us constructively, creatively, and flexibly to achieve this goal." Opinions vary on timing for a TPP vote, though several staffers on Capitol Hill said a vote isn’t expected in the near future (see 1601060027). The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative did not comment.