- The Hon Dr Daniel Mulino MP, Minister for Financial Services and Assistant Treasurer
- The Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
This week, Australia welcomed Ministers from three continents – the Americas, Asia and Europe – to Melbourne to advance our shared commitment to open, rules-based trade.
Today, I chaired the Ninth Commission Meeting of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
The meeting of 12 trading nations progressed improvements to the high-standard trade agreement that is already supporting growth across our economies.
We marked the conclusion of the first General Review of the Agreement, endorsing negotiations that will upgrade the CPTPP in key areas such as electronic commerce, trade in services, customs administration and trade and women's economic empowerment.
We also launched inaugural Trade and Investment Dialogues with ASEAN and the European Union, reinforcing the CPTPP's role in the global economic architecture and deepening engagement with major trading partners.
I was pleased to announce that we have made substantial progress on Costa Rica's accession process.
In addition, we have identified four aspirants who are in line with the Auckland Principles – they are Uruguay, the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines and Indonesia.
We have decided to commence an accession process with Uruguay and will commence with the others in 2026, if appropriate. This reflects the strong interest in joining this high-standard agreement and our ambition to grow the CPTPP membership.
I thank CPTPP Parties for their collaboration and look forward to working with Viet Nam as Chair in 2026 to progress negotiations to further strengthen and expand the Agreement.
The CPTPP is one of the world's most ambitious trade agreements, which connects 12 economies, 590 million people and nearly 15 per cent of global GDP. Australia is the 2025 Chair of the CPTPP.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell
"Australia is committed to open, rules-based trade. The CPTPP remains a cornerstone of Australia's trade policy and a model for inclusive, sustainable, and rules-based trade."
"In an uncertain global trading environment, the CPTPP provides stability, predictability, and high-standard trade rules that benefit businesses and communities across our region and beyond."
"I thank my counterparts from across the twelve CPTPP economies for their constructive and forward-looking discussions over the past two days – Australia's international partners are critical to our prosperity and enabling our businesses to diversify and grow."
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Financial Services and Assistant Treasurer, The Hon Dr Daniel Mulino MP
"Trade is key to our prosperity. It fuels productivity, drives our economy and creates well-paid jobs.
"The Australian Government is committed to helping our exporters, start-ups, and service providers tap into regional supply chains, drive competitiveness, and build resilience in a rapidly changing global economy."
Our inaugural dialogues with the EU and ASEAN were a productive step toward deepening economic collaboration and unlocking new trade and investment opportunities."
Quotes attributable to the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, The Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP
"The CPTPP economies collectively play a major role in global trade."
"As the 2025 CPTPP Chair, Australia affirms its role as a reliable partner and an advocate for free, stable, rules-based trade in the Indo-Pacific and beyond."
"Our discussions today progressed trade and investment integration between our economies, while ensuring our agreement delivers for business in response to ongoing global challenges."
Media Notes:
For further information visit the CPTPP web page on the DFAT website or view the joint statements below:
- Joint Ministerial Statement on the occasion of the Ninth Commission Meeting of the CPTPP, 21 November 2025, Melbourne
- CPTPP-ASEAN Trade and Investment Dialogue Joint Ministerial Statement, 20 November 2025, Melbourne
- CPTPP-EU Trade and Investment Dialogue Joint Ministerial Statement, 20 November 2025, Melbourne
The media conference can be viewed on DFAT's YouTube channel
Imagery is available via the: DFAT Multimedia Library