Decision by the Commission of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership regarding Administration for Implementation of the CPTPP

This document is made available for information purposes, and is subject to review against final published version.

The Commission decides as follows:

1. Chair and management of the Commission

In addition to the provisions set out in the Chapter 27 of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), following rules will be applied.

1.1 CPTPP Parties will name a rotating chair by order of Parties notifying the Depositary in writing of the completion of their applicable legal procedures, with each Party serving as Chair for a period of one year, starting from the year 2020.

1.2 Chair, assisted by the immediate past and immediate future Chairs, who will serve as Vice-Chairs, will chair the Commission meetings.

2. Special arrangements for the year 2019 as transitional period

For the year 2019, considered as transitional period for securing the smooth implementation for the CPTPP, following special arrangements will be taken.

2.1 In this transitional period, Japan will assume the role of Chair in close coordination with New Zealand (the Depositary) and Mexico (immediate future Chair), as well as with all other CPTPP members.

2.2 To advance the implementation in the first year after entry into force, New Zealand will host a meeting of the Commission in the second half of 2019, together with meetings of key Committees.

2.3 Recalling that the Commission is “composed of government representatives of each Party” (Article 27.1) and “Party means any State or separate customs territory for which this Agreement is in force” (Article 1.3), and reaffirming the importance of maintaining the solidarity among CPTPP Signatories, in this transitional period, CPTPP Signatories for which the CPTPP has yet to enter into force may attend the Commission meetings, Senior Officials meetings, all other Committees and other subsidiary bodies meetings and Accession Working Groups.

For reference, rotation of Chair until the year 2026 is indicated in the Annex.