The TPP is the latest in a dangerous shift in US trade policy towards a practice of international law making to bind the US to standards not reflected in its current law and without adequate transparency or public process. As in the recently negotiated, but not yet ratified, Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, TPP is being negotiated under intense secrecy. USTR proposals for new binding international minimum standards for domestic legislation are being crafted with close direction from a small group of industry stakeholders out of sight from the broader public that will be affected by the norms. There is no announced plan to subject any of the TPP texts to public release or comment. By virtue of several recent leaks of the USTR proposals, however, the public now has greater access to the substantive provisions the USTR is seeking. From these leaks, it clear that the USTR is using this negotiation to attempt to bind the US to a series of legislative minimum standards that are not reflected in current US law. The TPP proposal also dramatically alters US trade policy, in particular by abandoning the 2007 New Trade Deal negotiated by the Bush Administration and Congressional leaders.
Our full report contains detailed section by section analysis of the U.S. proposal and its potential effects on the public interest in the U.S. and abroad. Here I summarize some of the reports most notable findings.
Click here for the comments to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
