Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Leaders, including Prime Minister Gillard, met in Honolulu on 12 November in the margins of the APEC Leaders' meeting to review progress in the negotiations and consider next steps in the development of a 21st century free trade agreement, which would forge a pathway to free trade across the Asia-Pacific.
Leaders announced that agreement on the broad outlines of the TPP had been reached and endorsed the report that had been received from TPP trade ministers, including a commitment to a comprehensive, ambitious FTA which eliminates tariffs and other barriers to trade and investment.
Leaders instructed officials move forward to conclude the TPP agreement as rapidly as possible. Negotiators will meet in Kuala Lumpur in December and intensively throughout next year in order to make as much progress as possible in 2012.