WT/REG395/M/2  
 
13 July 2023 
(23-4743) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  
Hundred and S eventh  Session  Original: English  
 
  
COMPREHENSIVE  AND PROGRESSIVE AGREEMENT FOR  TRANS -PACIFIC  PARTNERSHIP 
(CPTPP),  ENTRY INTO FORCE FOR PERU , 
(GOODS AND SERVICES)  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 5 JULY  2023 
Chair: Ambassador H.E. Ms. Clare KELLY (New Zealand)  
1.1.  The 10 7th Session of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (hereinafter "CRTA" or the 
"Committee") was convened in Airgram WTO/AIR/RTA/3 2/Rev.1 dated 23 June 2023.  
1.2.  Under Agenda Item H.III, the CRTA considered the entry into force for Peru of the Agreement 
establishing a  Comprehensive  and Progressive Agreement for  Trans -Pacific  Partnership (CPTPP),  
goods and services , (hereinafter "the Agreement"). The Chair stated that the factual presentation 
had been prepared by the Secretariat on its own responsibility in full consultation with the Parties, 
in accordance with paragraph 7(b) of the Transparency Mechanism for Regional Trade Agreements 
(document WT/L/671).  
1.3.  The Agreement had entered into force on 30 December 2018 for Australia, Canada, Japan, 
Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore; on 14 January 2019 for Viet Nam; on 19 September 2021 for Peru . 
Its entry into force for Peru  had been notified to the WTO by the Parties on 14 March 2022 under 
Articles  XXIV:7(a) of the GATT  1994 and Article  V:7(a) of the G ATS, in documents WT/REG 395/N/2 
and S/C/N/ 920/Add.1 respectively. Since that date , the entry into force  of the CPTPP for the three 
remaining Parties (Malaysia, Chile and Brunei Darussalam) ha d been also notified  and would  be 
considered by the CRTA during 2 024. The Parties had indicated that the Agreement create d a free 
trade area in goods within the meaning of Article XXIV of the GATT 1994 and for trade in services 
within the meaning of Article V of the GATS.  The text of the Agreement and its Annexes was av ailable 
on the Parties' official websites and in the WTO RTA database. The Factual Presentation 
(document  WT/REG 395/1/Add.8 ) and the questions and replies on the entry into force of the 
Agreement  for Peru  (document WT/REG 395/4) had been distributed.  
1.4.  The representative of Peru thanked the Secretariat for preparing the factual presentation as 
well as  other Members of the CPTPP for gathering data. He also thanked the United States for its 
questions on the factual presentation.  
1.5.  He briefly highlight ed the importance of the entry into force of the CPTPP for Peru. The CPTPP 
was possibly the most ambitious and important free trade agreement in the world, and its entry into 
force almost two years ago, had been  a milestone for Peru's fo reign trade, representing an 
opportunity for its exports , especially by small and medium -sized enterprises  (SMEs) , to enter duty -
free a potential market of 500 million consumers. The CPTPP Members account ed for around 13% 
of global GDP and 15% of internati onal trade.  
1.6.  The CPTPP was undoubtedly a modern free trade agreement, which sought  to bring about the 
sustainable growth of its Members, with chapters on development, MSMEs, environmental and labour 
issues, among other topics. It also establishe d a framewor k for promoting trade in services among 
the countries of the bloc, creating opportunities for movement for technicians and professionals and 
for the expansion of companies providing computer services, business consultancy services, tourism 
services, franch ises, among other things.  WT/REG395/M/2  
 
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  1.7.  With the CPTPP, Peru  had obtain ed preferential access for its products to four new markets: 
New Zealand, Brunei Darussalam, Viet Nam and Malaysia, which, together, import ed non-traditional 
products in excess of USD 368 billion , a clear opportunity for Peruvian producers, especially SMEs .  
1.8.  In those markets with which trade agreements had been already in place, the benefits for 
Peruvian exports ha d been enhanced. For example, under the bilateral agreement with Japan, only 
88% of Peruvian products had preferential treatment in  Japan, while, u nder the CPTPP, 98% of 
products stood to benefit.  
1.9.  Peru ha d the possibility of undertaking joint activities with other CPTPP countries to enhance 
the role of women in the economy, and to develop programmes that optimize d education, science 
and technology, research and innovation, which would improve competitiveness, job creation, trade 
expansion and investment in the country.  
1.10.  In conclusion, he stated that the CPTPP was undoubtedly an opportunity for Peru, and Peru 
was convinced that it would be a tool to allow it  to continue promoting its exports, the value of which 
had broken its records for the last two years, reaching USD 63.2 billion in 2022. In that regard, he 
pointed out that Peru welcome d the entry into force of the CPTPP in other Parties, such as Mal aysia 
and Chile, and the ratification by Brunei Darussalam.  
1.11.  The representative of New Zealand  thanked Peru  for its introduction and ratification  of the 
CPTPP . She was also  delighted that there would be further opportunities to present on the CPTPP 
when notifications from Malaysia, Chile and Brunei Darussalam were to be also considered. As the 
CPTPP depository and its Chair in  2023, she took the opportunity to provide a short update on recent 
CPTPP developments.  
1.12.  At the start of 2023, when New Zealand assumed the Chair  of the CPTPP , it had set a small 
number of high-level objectives  to guide its host CPTPP year. These had included  advancing 
ratifications and accessions; supporting the effective implementation of CPTPP, through the CPTPP 
General Review and enhancing digital trade facilitation; and  promoting inclusive and sustainable 
trade.  
1.13.  On the first of these objectives, as  of 12 July  2023, the CPTPP would have entered into force 
for all eleven of the original signatories , which meant that at the next CPTPP Commission meeting, 
on 16 July  2023, the Agreement  would be up to  full strength , with all eleven original signatories 
having  engaged to implement – and benefit from – the CPTPP and its advanced rules and high 
standard commitments . As Peru had indicated, that was a 'big deal ', in all senses of the term, with 
the eleven CPTPP Members ha ving a population of more than 500 million and represent ing around 
13% of global gross domestic product.  
1.14.  Despite the disruptions experienced during the COVID -19 pandemic, the CPTPP ha d continued 
its efforts to maintain relevance in a changing global trade environment and had stayed  at the 
forefront of international trading arrangements.  
1.15.  Drawing on Peru's words, she stated that it was thoroughly modern Agreement  and one that 
the Parties were  seeking to keep modern and up to date . These efforts include d (i) laying the ground 
work for the General Review to be undertaken under Article 27.2.1(b) of the Agreement, with a 
priority being to find ways to promote maximum utilisation by exporters and investors, particularly 
SMEs ; (ii) the establishment of an e -commerc e committee and work on a study of Members ' 
domestic e -commerce laws and regulations;  (iii) undertaking further analysis to understand what 
was happening in CPTPP supply chains, including how Members could build expertise in risk 
management to address supp ly chain vulnerabilities, as well as fostering engagement of SMEs in 
global supply chains;  (iv) work to enhance digital trade facilitation, including in respect of customs 
processes; and (v) adoption of guidelines for mutual recognition agreements or arran gements for 
professional services.  
1.16.  With the announcement on 31 March 2023 that substantial conclusion had been reached in 
negotiations for the accession of a first CPTPP accession candidate (the U nited Kingdom ), the CPTPP 
was set to grow even further with the addition of its third G7 economy later that year.  WT/REG395/M/2  
 
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  1.17.  The CPTPP Members ha d consistently reiterated their support for the expansion of the 
Agreement by economies committed to the Agreement 's objectives and able to meet and adhere to 
its high standard rule s and comprehensive market access commitments. In view of the strong 
interest seen in accession, CPTPP Members were keen to learn from the first experience of an 
accession process with the UK to help further develop and refine the approach in the interests  of an 
efficient, fair and high-quality  accessions process.  
1.18.  Alongside signature of the CPTPP in 2018, Canada, Chile and New Zealand had formed the 
Inclusive Trade Action Group  and had been subsequently joined by three other economies – Mexico, 
Costa Rica a nd Ecuador , with a focus on support for sustainable and inclusive trade.   
1.19.  New Zealand ha d also recently released on its website an initial review on the contribution of 
the CPTPP for New Zealand in the area of sustainable and inclusive trade.  While it was still too early 
to draw hard and fast conclusions due to limited data availability and the fact that the Agreement 
would take time to take full effect, the initial review contain ed some promising early signs.  This 
included confirmation  that the CPTPP ha d delivered aggregate economic benefits since its entry into 
force.  These were estimated at an overall 3% increase in trade between the CPTPP Members in its 
first full year of implementation - 2019. For New Zealand, these benefits ha d been partic ularly 
evident in its trade with three of the new FTA partnerships created under the CPTPP – with Canada, 
Japan and Mexico. New Zealand looked  forward to new information on the new partnership with 
Peru, that Peru had mentioned as well . The review had also found that, on average, the level of 
benefits by New Zealand SMEs from the CPTPP had been similar to that for  larger firms, with SMEs 
exporting to the CPTPP markets tending to have a higher share of export revenue derived from these 
markets, than larger f irms. There had been also a slightly higher proportion of women employed in 
firms exporting to CPTPP markets (45%), when compared with firms exporting to other markets.  
1.20.  She reiterated that while it was still early days in understanding the impacts in these  areas, 
she looked  forward to presenting that initial review – alongside colleagues from Canada who had 
undertaken a similar review – to other CPTPP colleagues in New Zealand at the 7th Commission 
meeting later that month; and to continu e work to enhance t he contribution the CPTPP could make 
to inclusive and sustainable trade.  
1.21.  She thank ed all the Members of the Committee for their continuing interest in the Agreement 
and Peru for its presentation.  
1.22.  The representative of  the European Union  thanked Peru for the presentation. She also wished 
the Parties  success in the implementation of the Agreement.  
1.23.  The representative of Australia  thank ed Peru for an excellent outline of the benefits of the 
CPTPP as well as  New Zealand for its very comprehensive comments.  He echoed some points  about  
the CPTPP being  a modern Agreement  and added that it  had a very strong Committee structure. 
From his previous experience back in the capital, he had been  involved in SMEs Committee, and as 
Peru had pointed out, the CPTPP ha d particular benefits for  SMEs . Upon the entry into force of the 
Agreement for Brunei Darussalam, Chile and Malaysia, and, as New Zealand had mentioned the 
forthcoming accession by  the UK, he noted that there would be more discussion on the CPTPP in the 
Commit tee.  
1.24.  The Chair noted the consideration of the Free Trade Agreement between the Member States 
of the  Comprehensive  and Progressive Agreement for  Trans -Pacific  Partnership (CPTPP), entry into 
force for Peru, goods and services had allowed the Committee to clarify a number of questions and 
conclude oral discussion of the RTA in accordance with paragraph 11 of the Transparency 
Mechanism. Any delegations wishing to ask follow -up questions were invited to forward submissions 
in writ ing to the Secretariat by 12 July 2023 and the Parties were asked to submit replies in writing 
by no later than 26 July 2023. In accordance with paragraph 13 of the Transparency Mechanism all 
written submissions, as well as the minutes of the meeting would  be circulated promptly, in all WTO 
official languages, and made available on the WTO website.  
1.25.  The Committee took note  of the comments made.  
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