Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership: Member Countries and Objectives
One of the trade agreements that is reshaping the landscape of international business is the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
That’s why, if you’re in this world without looking toward the Pacific, then you’re leaving opportunities and money on the table.
Especially because today, competing is no longer just about offering a good product or service, but about understanding the rules of the new geoeconomic space.
The challenge is that many companies, especially in Latin American markets, still see the CPTPP as an option reserved for multinational giants.
And, in reality, this treaty doesn’t only reduce tariffs: it also creates a trade ecosystem with common rules, preferential access to 11 markets, and a network of countries that represent more than 500 million consumers.
Best of all, when you look at the numbers, you realize that the CPTPP represents about 13% of global GDP and around 15% of world trade.
We invite you to keep reading and get ready to set your sights on the Pacific because this isn’t just theory: it’s useful information to support decision-making today.
What is the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)?
For a moment, imagine your business has preferential access to some of the most dynamic markets on the world.
Add to that the ability to export with fewer obstacles, import at lower cost, and operate under clearer rules.
That is, in essence, what the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) proposes or rather, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which is the updated version of the original agreement.
But let’s take it step by step.
The TPP was born in 2016 with a simple, though ambitious, idea: to create a large free trade zone around the Pacific.
The agreement was based on signatory economies reducing barriers, harmonizing standards, and facilitating the movement of goods, services, investment, and intellectual property.
In other words, a framework to make doing business easier, less costly, and with less uncertainty.
Originally, the agreement included 12 countries, including the United States. However, in 2017, Washington decided to withdraw from the pact, and the remaining 11 countries nations moved forward and signed in 2018 what is now known as the CPTPP.
Countries that are part of the CPTPP
Who’s playing in the CPTPP league?
When we talk about the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), we’re not talking about an exclusive club of giant economies.
In reality, these are countries willing to open their markets under clear, modern, and quite ambitious rules:
- Japan. One of the world’s three largest economies. So, if you export technology, machinery, processed foods, or high value-added products, this market can be a gold mine.
- Canada. It has a stable business environment, clear policies, and growing demand for sustainable products. Plus, it’s a key trade partner for companies looking to scale in North America.
- Australia. The country has a sophisticated market, high purchasing power, and strong interest in technology, education, health, and sustainability. It even works as a gateway to the entire Southeast Asia region.
- Vietnam. Although the country has a different history, its strengths are rapid growth, competitive labor, and an ideal environment to relocate part of your supply chain.
- New Zealand. Small in size, but huge in opportunities if your focus is in the food, agriculture, or clean energy sectors.
- Mexico. Our country is part of the Spanish-speaking nations within the CPTPP.
Best of all, its strategic location between the Americas and Asia represents a natural trade bridge. For the rest of Latin American companies, Mexico is the best route to connect with the treaty’s markets, taking advantage of logistical and cultural synergies. - Chile. Although its government has not yet fully ratified the CPTPP, it has already signed the agreement and maintains an open trade policy. In fact, it’s a country with agreements all over the world and a mindset strongly focused on exports.
- Peru. Another Latin American partner that is keeping a close eye on Asia. Also, it has sectors like mining, fishing, and agribusiness on the rise.
- Malaysia. It is the industrial heart of Southeast Asia, with a regionally integrated supply chain and an economy open to trade.
- Singapore. It is a world-class logistics and financial hub. If you’re thinking about expansion, setting up a regional headquarters, or operating efficiently in Asia, this country should be on your radar.
- Brunei. Yes, it’s the least well-known nation in the group, but that doesn’t make it any less important. It has a small economy, but one rich in natural resources, and it is part of the treaty because it is committed to trade integration beyond oil.
What are the Objectives of the CPTPP?
Eliminating barriers to trade (for real)
Yes, this sounds typical. But here it’s not just about removing tariffs. The CPTPP aims to eliminate non-tariff barriers that, in practice, complicate or unnecessarily increase the cost of entering a market.
We’re talking about confusing technical requirements, customs bureaucracy, or rules that favor local products over foreign ones.
Establishing modern rules for 21st-century trade
This is not an “old-school” treaty. The agreement includes specific chapters on e-commerce, intellectual property, state-owned enterprises, and the environment.
That’s why the goal is to regulate topics that were not even addressed in past trade agreements and that today are key to competing.
Promoting foreign direct investment
This is another clear objective and it is aimed at promoting legal certainty so that companies feel encouraged to invest in any of the member countries.
This means lower regulatory risk, greater transparency, and dispute settlement mechanisms designed to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Integrating regional value chains
One of the major benefits of the CPTPP is that it allows for cumulation of origin, which facilitates creating supply chains among member countries without losing tariff benefits.
Therefore, you can produce in parts and assemble in another member country without paying extra tariffs. This is especially useful for sectors like automotive, textiles, or technology.
Boosting competition and innovation
By opening markets and establishing common standards, the treaty encourages companies to improve processes, adapt, and become more competitive.
And heads up, this isn’t only for big companies. Many SMEs that understand the landscape and prepare well are gaining ground thanks to agreements like this.
Benefits for Mexico of being part of the CPTPP
What does Mexico gain by being in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)?
A lot more than people think:
- Preferential access to new markets (and not just any markets)
The agreement opens the doors to 10 countries, including some with which Mexico did not previously have trade agreements, such as Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei.
This way, Mexican companies can export to these destinations with reduced or zero tariffs. Something that simply wasn’t possible before, or it involved higher costs and more paperwork.
- Clear and common rules for doing business. One of the biggest headaches for exporters is usually adapting to each country’s regulatory differences.
But with the CPTPP, that friction is greatly reduced because it establishes common rules among member countries.
This provides legal certainty and, most importantly, predictability for long-term planning.
- Market diversification: less dependence and more stability. Mexico depends on the United States for its exports (more than 80%), and that makes it vulnerable.
Any political or economic change in the North has a direct impact. In this case, the CPTPP offers a very valuable escape valve: diversifying markets without leaving the known legal framework.
- Improved domestic competitiveness. Being in an agreement like this pushes our country to improve its business environment, from infrastructure, customs efficiency, and labor practices to anti-corruption policies.
It won’t happen overnight, but it’s positive pressure. And that especially benefits formal businesses that do things right and want to compete with quality, not precariousness.
Conclusion
As you can see, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is not just a trade agreement among countries: it’s an ecosystem of opportunities that drives 21st-century trade.
For companies, it represents much more than tariff advantages; it’s an invitation to play in bigger leagues, professionalize processes, anticipate the market, and look beyond familiar borders.
Now, for that expansion to translate into tangible results, you need more than intention. You need logistics with vision, experience, and trust.
That’s where KENSA Logistics makes the difference.
Especially because we don’t see clients, but people who trust us to get their merchandise across oceans, without setbacks, without unnecessary bureaucracy, and without headaches.
For years, we’ve been known for being a team that knows every corner of the logistics process in detail, from the most technical paperwork to the particularities of each port or customs office.