EU discusses cooperation with CPTPP in response to Trump’s tariffs

On April 15, European Commission President von der Leyen held a telephone consultation with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to discuss the possibility of cooperation between the EU and the member states of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

After the consultation, von der Leyen issued a statement saying: “Looking forward to closer cooperation with the broad CPTPP region on trade.”

The purpose of this discussion is to respond to the tariff policy of the Trump administration of the United States and promote communication and coordination between countries and regions that value free trade.

The predecessor of CPTPP is the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) established in 2018, which currently has 12 countries participating, including Japan. The population in the region is 580 million, accounting for about 15% of the global gross domestic product (GDP).

In 2024, the United Kingdom joined the CPTPP. CPTPP member states have reduced tariffs on many goods and reached an agreement on digital trade rules. 2025 is the year to submit a report for the first revision of the agreement. Mainland China and Taiwan are also interested in joining.

On the other hand, the European Union, with 27 member states, has a population of about 448 million and is a huge single market with no tariffs in the region. Due to the high income level in the region, it has strong purchasing power. In his speech on April 10, New Zealand Prime Minister Laxon called on CPTPP member states and the EU to cooperate in collective action to respond to Trump’s tariff policy and promote free trade.

The threshold for formally joining the CPTPP is very high. The CPTPP needs to reach an agreement on commodity trade and digital trade, and domestic coordination between existing member states and applicant countries usually takes a long time. Formal accession also requires the consent of all existing member states.