Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement

Civil society protests as leaders praise flawed TPP at Chile meeting

17 March 2017: Representatives from all TPP countries except the US missed an opportunity to strive for fairer trade deals when they praised the dead TPP in a statement following a meeting in Viña del Mar, Chile.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of a broader meeting on Integration Initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region including non-TPP countries China, Korea and the US.

Missed opportunity

In praising the TPP, leaders ignored calls for fairer trade deals from civil society organisations from around the world.

Trump wants even worse medicine rules

20 February 2017: US President Trump says countries like Australia are “freeloading” because our government regulates medicine prices through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The PBS is a vital part of Australia’s health system because it helps to ensure lifesaving medicines are affordable and accessible.

At a meeting with pharmaceutical companies in January, Mr Trump said:

53 diverse organisations call on Labor to reject failed TPP

6 February, 2017: Fifty-three diverse health, church, union, environment and aid organisations representing more than two million Australians have endorsed a letter calling on Labor to reject the failed TPP and ensure fairness in future trade deals, including the RCEP.

“Not only would it be futile to endorse an agreement that would never come into effect but it would also be damaging for future trade debate in Australia,” they write.

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