Announcement on Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations

On December 14, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk notified Congress that President Obama intends to enter into negotiations of a regional, Asia-Pacific trade agreement, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement with the objective of shaping a high-standard, broad-based regional pact. In letters to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), Ambassador Kirk said that such an agreement would help to expand American exports, saving and creating good jobs here at home. The first round of negotiations has already been announced by the current Trans-Pacific Partnership members for March 2010. USTR will publish in the Federal Register a notice requesting public input on the direction, focus, and content of Tran-Pacific Partnership negotiations. USTR has also created a new webpage to centralize Trans-Pacific Partnership information for the public.