Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership: Costa Rica

Douglas Alexander Excerpts

Tuesday 8th July 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security (Mr Douglas Alexander)]

Today, the Department for Business and Trade is publishing a summary of and response to public engagement on Costa Rica’s CPTPP accession working group.

At the CPTPP ministerial commission meeting in November 2024, CPTPP Ministers, alongside the UK, formally decided to commence an accession process with Costa Rica, establishing an accession working group. As part of this, the Government launched a public engagement period that ran from 29 November 2024 until 24 January 2025, to understand business, civil society and public views and insights on Costa Rica’s potential membership. Twenty-eight responses were received in total, including from businesses, trade bodies, international stakeholders, public sector organisations and individuals.

The document published today summarises the feedback received, and provides a response setting out how the Government intend to approach the accession negotiations with Costa Rica. This feedback is actively informing the Government’s approach to negotiations, including during the first in-person discussions with Costa Rica, which recently took place between 9 and 11 June 2025 in Brisbane, Australia.

CPTPP parties, including the UK, are committed to maintaining the agreement’s high standards, and to further expanding trade ties to drive economic growth. I look forward to keeping the House updated on future CPTPP developments.

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