It appears that the discussions have progressed enough that Global Affairs Canada has sought public input to such an initiative through a recent Canada Gazette notice.
The CCA has submitted comments to the Government of Canada that such an agreement could be a viable means of salvaging crucial provisions of the TPP agreement and would be of significant benefit to Canadian beef producers. The CCA has advised the government that Canada should work with the remaining TPP member countries to implement such an agreement.
“CCA believes there is immense potential for Canadian beef under an Asia-Pacific regional trade agreement”
The recent re-election victory of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan could also be a positive shot in the arm for an Asia-Pacific regional trade agreement. Prime Minister Abe has invested much of his personal political capital in the TPP and with a new mandate, may want to move quickly to revive the TPP. The upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Vietnam, which will be attended by the leaders of all the remaining TPP countries, may be a pivotal moment.
The CCA believes there is immense potential for Canadian beef under an Asia-Pacific regional trade agreement provided it incorporates important market access and food safety provisions agreed to in the TPP to remove significant trade barriers. These include prohibitive tariffs in Japan that prevent Canada from tapping into the full potential of that market and thus leaves this country at a competitive disadvantage to countries with existing trade agreements. Absent this or a bilateral agreement with Japan, Canada will likely lose around 80 per cent of the value of our beef exports to Japan.
Conversely, an Asia-Pacific regional trade agreement incorporating the market access provisions of the TPP could enable the Canadian beef industry to double or nearly triple exports to Japan to about $300 million. A regional agreement would also secure future access to important emerging markets like Vietnam and Malaysia.
Source: Meatbusiness