With 26 negotiating groups and 29 chapters under
discussion, the TPP partners envision the agreement to be “comprehensive and high-standard,” in
that they seek to eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade in goods, services, and
agriculture, and to establish rules on a wide range of issues, including intellectual property rights,
foreign direct investment and other economic activities. They also strive to create a “21st century
agreement” that addresses new and cross-cutting issues presented by an increasingly globalized
economy