Regulatory Coherence in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Talks

C.L. Lim, Deborah Elms, Patrick Low (eds.), The Trans-Pacific Partnership: A Quest for a 21st Century Trade Agreement, Cambridge University Press, Nov. 2012, pp. 171-186

23 Pages Posted: 18 Sep 2013 Last revised: 28 Jul 2015

Date Written: 2012

Abstract

Whether the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks result in a “high quality, 21st century” trade agreement will depend on its inclusion of new and innovative approaches to persistent trade challenges. Among the new approaches proposed, regulatory coherence appears to have the greatest traction, but it is also among the most controversial. This chapter examines the TPP regulatory coherence negotiations in four parts. First, it describes, in general terms, the increasingly dominant role of domestic regulation in international trade. Second, the chapter outlines the evolution of regulatory coherence as a matter for international trade negotiation. Third, it identifies the provisions that would best achieve the goals of regulatory coherence. Last, this chapter predicts the likely outcome of the TPP talks in this area – an important contribution on an emerging issue in international trade, but one that falls short of the stated ambitions of TPP negotiators.

Keywords: trade, regulation, TPP, Trans-Pacific Partnership, regulatory, coherence, consistency, convergance, cooperation, OIRA

JEL Classification: E13, I18, G18, O1, O2

Suggested Citation

Bollyky, Thomas J., Regulatory Coherence in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Talks (2012). C.L. Lim, Deborah Elms, Patrick Low (eds.), The Trans-Pacific Partnership: A Quest for a 21st Century Trade Agreement, Cambridge University Press, Nov. 2012, pp. 171-186 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2327160

Thomas J. Bollyky (Contact Author)

Council on Foreign Relations ( email )

1777 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
United States

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