How the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Benefits U.S. Small Businesses

The Trans-Pacific Partnership TPP unlocks opportunities for U.S. small and medium-sized businesses, which are the backbone of the U.S. economy. By addressing trade barriers that are particularly challenging for small businesses to navigate, TPP allows our small businesses to reach new markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

Eliminating foreign taxes in the form of tariffs across the TPP region. These barriers can price out of foreign markets many of the goods and agricultural products made by U.S. small businesses.

Making it cheaper, easier, and faster for businesses to get their products to market by creating efficient and transparent customs procedures that help move goods quickly through borders.

Streamlining complex trade barriers like complicated standards and technical regulations, which make it hard for small businesses to access new markets.

Promoting digital trade and e-commerce by prohibiting tariffs on digital products (such as software, music, video, e-books) – the arena by which many small businesses access the global marketplace and helping keep the Internet free by protecting against requirements that force businesses to locate infrastructure in the markets in which they seek to operate, requirements that can be especially costly for small businesses with fewer resources.

Strengthening protections of intellectual property rights. Small businesses are often highly vulnerable to infringement and theft of their intellectual property (IP), especially in markets where IP protections are not as strong as those in the U.S.

Providing greater certainty and new access markets for U.S. small business service suppliers like architects, engineers, and web designers.

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