Forbes — The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is still alive.
Ministers from the 11 remaining TPP countries have released a formal statement affirming their intention to move forward with the TPP—despite the absence of the United States, which would have accounted for 60% of the trade agreement’s GDP. The statement was released after a series of frenetic meetings on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam last weekend.
A target date of November 2017 has been set for the so-called “TPP 11” ministers to come up with a road map for next steps and actions.
Previously, the trade pact had been pronounced dead and buried. Yet this new proclamation shouldn’t come as a surprise as the reasons for moving ahead are compelling.
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