Trans-Pacific Partnership members agree to start United Kingdom accession talks

Officials welcomed the formal request to accede to the CPTPP received from the United Kingdom

Members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) discussed the United Kingdom’s application to join the CPTPP this week.

Ministers and Senior Officials, representing Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Viet Nam, met virtually on the occasion of the fourth meeting of the CPTPP Commission, hosted by Japan on June 2, 2021.

The officials welcomed the formal request to accede to the CPTPP received from the United Kingdom and, acting upon the request, reached a decision to commence an accession process with the United Kingdom and establish an Accession Working Group.

The ministers said they look forward to working with the United Kingdom to understand how it would fulfill the commitments of the Agreement, especially its compliance with all the existing rules. They also look forward to receiving the United Kingdom’s market access offers, and to negotiating the terms and conditions of its accession.