The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries are gearing up for a highly-awaited ministerial meeting at the end of July, in a gathering that many officials predict could bring the talks to a close.

The gathering, now scheduled for 28-31 July in the US state of Hawaii, will be preceded by a meeting of chief negotiators from 24-27 July.

“Since they last met in May, trade ministers from the twelve TPP countries have been working continuously. As a result, we have made considerable progress in closing gaps on remaining issues, and we continue to work intensively to address specific issues bilaterally,” the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) said in announcing the meeting.

This has been excerpted from a 9 July 2015 news item by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development and is available in its entirety at:
http://www.ictsd.org/bridges-news/bridges/news/tpp-countries-gear-up-for-high-stakes-ministerial-meeting