It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for: after years of negotiations behind closed doors the Trans-Pacific Partnership is now available to the public. A table of contents of the trade agreement can be viewed here; you can select to read chapters of the TPP in full text. For example, Chapter 3: Rules of Origin and Origin Procedures starts off with a chapter summary and then provides the full chapter text.
Next Steps
Some experts say actual entry into force of the agreement is not expected before 2017. Most sources have referenced the long road ahead for the trade deal and the reason for this is because of the timeline the bill has to follow. So what do we know?
The release of the full text on November 5 began the 90-day period for congressional review. Congress spent the first 30 days privately reviewing the deal. Next comes the public phase. In these 60 days interest groups can provide insight on the deal. After these groups voice if they are supportive of the deal or not, the U.S. International Trade Commission conducts a full review of the deal. Once the bill is introduced to the House and Senate, Congress will have 90 days to approve the trade deal. For more information on TPP’s movement through legislation click here.