USTR: Bali Yields IPEF Pillar Texts

The US Trade Representative’s Office tabled negotiating texts on labor, environment, digital trade and technical assistance at the second round of negotiations on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework that ended yesterday.

USTR previously tabled negotiating text on trade facilitation, agriculture, services domestic regulation and transparency and good regulatory practices.

That means USTR has tabled text on all but two chapters for the IPEF’s trade pillar – competition policy and inclusivity.

Officials from Australia and New Zealand jointly shared a text proposal on inclusivity at the latest round, according to a readout from USTR.

Meanwhile, the Commerce Department previously shared negotiating text for Pillar II (Supply Chains) and Pillar IV (Fair Economy) in advance of the Brisbane round, and for Pillar III (Clean Economy) in advance of the special negotiating round that was held in New Delhi.

In Bali, IPEF countries exchanged views on the proposed new text and conducted follow-up conversations from the Brisbane and New Delhi rounds, according to USTR.

IPEF members remain committed to concluding an agreement as quickly as possible.  US officials have raised the possibility of “early harvest” deals, if agreements are reached on individual chapters in advance of the entire package.

The US interagency delegation was co-led by Sarah Ellerman, IPEF Pillar I Chief Negotiator and Assistant USTR for Southeast Asia and the Pacific (Acting) and Sharon H. Yuan, Commerce Counselor and IPEF Pillars II-IV Chief Negotiator.