Trade groups urge TPP apparel rules

Trade groups urge TPP apparel rules       A coalition of five U.S. apparel trade groups on Monday urged negotiators in the Trans-Pacific Partnership to focus on improvements that will benefit regions in the partnership more evenly.
      The American Apparel & Footwear Association, National Retail Federation, Outdoor Industry Association, Retail Industry Leaders Association and U.S. Association of Importers of Textile and Apparel have called on the TPP to adopt ‘rules of origin, meaningful market access, and regulatory harmonization that reflect and accommodate today’s global value chains.’
      The TPP is an Asia-Pacific regional trade agreement currently being negotiated between the United States and eight other partners, including Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. The seventh round of TPP negotiations is being held in Ho Chi Minh City this week.
      ‘It is clear that the apparel rules of origin are a key element in the overall success of the Trans-Pacific Partnership,’ the five organizations, dubbed the TPP Apparel Coalition, said in a statement. ‘Without a solid agreement on apparel that generates new trade and investment opportunities, U.S. workers, businesses, and families will not be able to realize the full potential of the TPP.’
      The coalition has specific priorities in the negotiations related to apparel, including:
      ‘ Integrate textile and apparel products into the market access negotiations similar to any other product, with no separate chapter or separate provisions.
      ‘ Liberalize and simplify origin rules so that any restrictions are applied only to individual products when data shows it’s necessary and appropriate.
      ‘ Harmonize the origin rules among all TPP countries to accept this new approach, including those that currently have free trade agreements with the United States.
      ‘ Implement immediate and reciprocal duty-free treatment for all qualifying products.
      ‘ Harmonize and streamline customs procedures among all TPP countries and incorporate account-based processing to facilitate the flow of goods among parties to the agreement.
      ‘ Harmonize the rules and regulations, such as product safety and labeling, among all TPP countries, including those that currently have FTAs with the United States.
      ‘ Strengthen intellectual property rights protections among all TPP countries to better enable American apparel brands, manufacturers and retailers to protect their brands from counterfeiters and trademark violators.