USTR Ensures Market Access Retention in New TPP Tobacco Proposal
The Obama Administration unveiled on Aug. 22 the fundamentals of a new proposal for tobacco commerce in Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the administration intends to table and discuss the proposal during the upcoming 19th round of TPP negotiations in Brunei, scheduled for Aug. 23-30.
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“The market access element of the proposal will remain unchanged, consistent with long-standing trade and agriculture policy,” read a USTR press release (here). “As we do for other products, we will continue to press for the elimination of tariffs on U.S. agriculture exports, which, by their very nature, discriminate against American farmers.”
USTR Michael Froman said the proposal represents the first time public health issues surrounding tobacco will be incorporated in a trade agreement (here).