The virtual webinar was hosted by Japan – Chair of the CPTPP Commission in 2021 – and is part of the work of the Committee on Competition and Business Facilitation (CBF). This is a specialised Committee established under CPTPP framework with the aim of monitoring and effectively enforcing the Agreement’s commitments.

Representatives of Viet Nam attending the webinar were from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (assigned as the focal agency enforcing CPTPP) and the National Center for Socio-economic Information and Forecast (Ministry of Planning and Investment).

The main objectives of the webinar include: (1) to share various approaches by the Parties to expost evaluations of the CPTPP and (2) to explore challenges involved in ex-post evaluations of the CPTPP and potential solutions to these challenges; and (iii) to implement relevant provisions in the Agreement, particularly Article 27.2.1(b).[1]

There were two main sessions in the webinar. In the first session, representatives of six CPTPP Parties (Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Mexico, Singapore, and Viet Nam) provided in-depth facts, analysis, and case studies of the achievements and effects of CPTPP based on mostly quantitative researches undertaken or planned to be undertaken at the national level. Based on the information in the first session, invited guests in the second one continued to discuss further the challenges arising throughout researching processes, as well as their potential resolutions. The webinar ended with a open Q-and-A round for all partipants.

Six topics presented by CPTPP Parties in the webinar include: (1) “Ex-post Effects of CPTPP” (Canada); (2) “How CPTPP Changed Trade So Far? – Preliminary Results of Ex-post Analysis” (Japan); (3) “The Implementation Process of CPTPP and the Benefits That We Expect in the Near Future” (Mexico); (4) “New Zealand’s Planned Approach to Evaluating the Economic, Sustainable and Inclusive Impacts of CPTPP” (New Zealand); (5) “Utilisation on Goods-related Provisions of CPTPP” (Singapore); and (6) “CPTPP Economic Impact Assessment in Viet Nam” (Viet Nam).

In the webinar, Viet Nam focused on presenting outcomes of a national level study on impacts of CPTPP liberalization commitments on all sectors (goods, services, and investment). Some models developed by OECD (the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) were used to evaluate and quantify those impacts, ie. the Trade Facilitation Index, Service Trade Restrictiveness Index, and FDI Restrictiveness Index. Viet Nam’s presentation was highly appreciated by CPTPP Parties, contributing to the success of this event.

The agenda of the webinar (only English version available) can be downloaded here.