Policy Proposals  Trade, Investment, EPA/FTA   On the Launch of the Negotiations on the UK's Accession to the CPTPP

June 2nd 2021

We, business federations representing Japan, the UK, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, and Vietnam welcome the launch of the negotiations on the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The UK's formal application to join the CPTPP, which is a high quality, comprehensive and ambitious agreement, demonstrates its commitment to free and open trade. It also shows the UK's commitment to further strengthen the rules-based multilateral trading system.

We expect that the negotiations will proceed at pace. At the same time, the business communities are of the view that it is important not to sacrifice the high level of ambition set out in the agreement to enlarge the membership.

We stand ready to join forces together with the respective governments towards advancing and expanding the CPTPP which we describe as the landmark 21st-century agreement.