For the US, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is clearly a priority. It is promoted as a 21st-century agreement that will eventually include all of the Asia-Pacific countries. The implications would be felt by everyone living in the region, some more than others. It is more than a trade agreement; it will shape our future and how we create, access, and share information and technology. However, details have been sketchy and most of us would have only viewed the leaked copy of the intellectual property chapter released by WikiLeaks.Is such secrecy usual? According to Konstantinos Komaitis, policy advisor, Internet Society, it is a free trade agreement (FTA); traditionally, FTAs have been conducted by trade negotiators behind closed doors, and this was the norm in pre-internet days. However, with the internet now being integrated in our lives, this procedural model appears to be out of sync, and people have come to expect transparency and inclusiveness as part of their minimum requirements. It does not help that there is a feeling that the TPP includes issues that may affect the internet and intellectual property on the internet.
http://www.zdnet.com/why-the-tpp-matters-to-the-internet-and-ip-7000024116/Also see:TPP talks pushed to 2014 as Singapore negotiations fail
Negotiation talks over the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) have failed to result in an agreement between the affected 12 nations, pushing the issue beyond the original expectation that it would be finalised by the end of this year.A statement from the Office of the US Trade Representative notes that negotiators made “substantial progress towards completing the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement” and “identified ‘potential landing zones’ for the majority of key outstanding issues”, but ultimately, additional work is required. This has resulted in the negotiators needing to meet again next month, further dragging out the issue.
http://www.zdnet.com/tpp-talks-pushed-to-2014-as-singapore-negotiations-fail-7000024158/