President Obama’s visit to Tokyo 23-25 April should tell us whether there is a way forward with the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiation. It is in the nature of trade negotiations to teeter on the brink of collapse but there is concern that momentum risks being lost as the United States and Japan go head to head on the perennial issue of market access for agriculture.
TPP study was robust
Trade policy today is mostly not about tariffs. The vast bulk of the world’s wealth today is generated by trade in services, not goods. Finding ways to speed up the movement of goods and reduce costs may be even more significant than reductions in duties and taxes.
Read Stephen’s article in the Dominion Post commenting on the expected economic gains from TPP.
APEC comes to Auckland in February
The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) meets in Auckland in February and the future health of the Asia Pacific region will be top of mind.
Read Stephen’s article on the New Zealand Herald website.
Busy year looms for trade negotiators
China is established as our main market and the TPP’s nearly a done deal, but there’s plenty more work to do.
APEC Bali – not your usual tropical holiday
Stephen Jacobi profiles what’s on the agenda as APEC meets in a tropical holiday spot.
Japan’s rising TPP profile boon for NZ business
Article by Stephen Jacobi about Japan’s arrival at the negotiating table of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Trade talks about clear rules, investment – jobs
Walking the talk in Vladivostok
Stephen recounts what happened on and off stage at this year’s APEC meeting in Russia.
Click on the link above to read this article on the New Zealand International Business Forum website.
From Russia with love – Stephen writes from the APEC meeting in Vladivostok
Stephen Jacobi writes from the APEC meeting in Vladivostok
Click on the link above to read the article on the National Business Review website.


