Select committee: International Agreements Committee

Conclusion 13

10th Report - UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP): Scrutiny of the Government’s Negotiating Objectives Published 17 Nov 2021 Paragraph 54

International Agreements Committee Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Conclusion (the committee's words)

The Negotiating Objectives highlight the opportunities that the CPTPP’s Rules of Origin may provide to UK manufacturers, and the automotive sector in particular. While UK-based producers supplying parts to assembly plants located in CPPTPP member states will benefit, manufacturers and exporters of UK-assembled vehicles in the UK are unlikely to do so. In fact, the Rules of Origin may confer a competitive advantage onto vehicle manufacturers in other CPTPP countries which are linked by established regional supply chains.

From: International Agreements Committee, 10th Report - UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP): Scrutiny of the Government’s Negotiating Objectives, paragraph 54, 17 November 2021

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 19 January 2022 (deadline 5 September 2022).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government says it will "only accede to CPTPP on terms which are beneficial to the UK", agreeing with some recommendations, giving limited detail on negotiating positions, and stating that accession is not a re-negotiation of the agreement.

On side letters and carve-outs, the government "will consider these options insofar as there is a need to safeguard UK interests", and says full disclosure of its most sensitive positions "would lead to worse negotiated outcomes".
On agricultural imports, it states that "Nothing in this deal will undermine our standards" and that imports "must and will continue to meet all the relevant UK rules and regulations".
On NHS medicines costs, it says it "will not accede to CPTPP on terms which make medicines more expensive or less accessible".
On parliamentary scrutiny, it will "continue to provide regular updates" and private briefings, and "will endeavour" to share the treaty text confidentially with committees shortly before publication "where time allows".

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