Argentina seeks a trade pact that would link it with the UK for the first time since 1982
Key takeaways
- Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno announced the decision during a tour of Europe and handed the formal letter of intent to New Zealand, the treaty's depositary.
- I handed over the formal letter of intent to join one of the broadest, most modern and dynamic trade agreements in the world, Quirno said.
- The United Kingdom joined in 2024, while China and Taiwan have expressed interest in entering.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Argentina has applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a step that, if completed, would place it for the first time since the 1982 Falklands War in a trade agreement that also includes the United Kingdom. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno announced the decision during a tour of Europe and handed the formal letter of intent to New Zealand, the treaty's depositary.
I handed over the formal letter of intent to join one of the broadest, most modern and dynamic trade agreements in the world, Quirno said. Accession, however, is not immediate: the process can take between two and five years, requires all members to agree to open negotiations, and is not guaranteed.
The CPTPP today brings together twelve economies —Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Vietnam— which account for close to 15% of world goods trade and some 600 million people, making it one of the largest free-trade areas on the planet. The United Kingdom joined in 2024, while China and Taiwan have expressed interest in entering. The United States, by contrast, withdrew from the original agreement and never ratified it.