“Ratification of TPP11 would allow Chile to continue on the successful path of opening up to the world, promoting higher value-added exports, rejecting protectionism and connecting with the booming Asia-Pacific region. , which emerges as the great space of the Century. XXI”, affirmed various former foreign ministers through a letter.

Through a press release published this Saturday, different former chancellors Foreign relations in Chile -all of the Concertación- expressed their “strong support” for the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Treaty, better known as TPP11.

This is a document signed by Soledad Alvear Valenzuela, Mariano Fernández Amunátegui, Carlos Figueroa Serrano, Alejandro Foxley Rioseco, José Miguel Insulza Salinas, Heraldo Muñoz Valenzuela and Ignacio Walker Prieto.

The former authorities recalled that with the departure of the United States from the Treaty, under the administration of Donald Trump, the treaty settled with 11 of the original 12 countries.

In this way, 20 regulations introduced by the United States were left out, mostly on intellectual property.

“The remaining countries proceeded to obtain a phased profile of the agreement. The chapters on gender equity, SMEs, anti-corruption, compliance with environmental and labor rules have been strengthened, with emphasis,” they said.

Former foreign ministers in favor of the TPP11

“This treaty represents an opportunity for our country at a time of economic hardship,” the document said.

The former foreign ministers indicated that the TPP11 will allow around 3,000 tariff lines to benefit from access advantages for thousands of Chilean products.

What precedes, “to markets in countries like Japan, Canada and Mexico, among others, generating jobs and revenues of $1,180 million a year.”

“The treaty also contains provisions for access to public procurement and measures to reduce non-tariff barriers,” they add.

The former authorities also recalled that the TPP11 envisaged “cumulation of origin” in parallel.

That is to say that “the goods of any of the States Parties will be considered as national, respecting the rules of origin. This, with the possibility of producing value-added products, thus opening up new opportunities for producers and exporters”.

standing in front of side letters

On the other hand, reference was made to the fact that the government sent side letters, or parallel letters, to the other 10 states.

The above, to exempt itself from the application of the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism of the TPP11.

“Such an initiative would not exempt Chile from the obligations of bilateral dispute settlement mechanisms,” the letter states.

The above, “contained in the free trade agreements that our country has with several of the states party to the agreement”.

Despite this, this side-letter resource was appreciated, “if it clears up doubts and gets the treaty ratified in the Senate.”

“It is no coincidence that key countries such as China, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Costa Rica and Uruguay, among others, have presented official letters requesting access to the block, or have expressed a public interest in the block. regard. “, they commented.

They went on to say that “it is time to return to the close relationship between foreign policy and development strategy, which we recognize requires changes towards greater social inclusion and environmental sustainability.”

“But ideological prejudices, apart from any reality, only hinder the tremendous opportunities available to the country, as pointed out by Gabriel Boric in his recent speech before the General Assembly of the United Nations”, the letter from the former Chancellors of the Concertación.