Cold Chain Development Highlighted in Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

The US Department of Commerce and of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has finished their fifth round of negotiations in support of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).  The IPEF and US delegations made progress on negotiating joint standards and goals centered around four pillars: I (Trade), II (Supply Chain), III (Clean Economy), and IV (Fair Economy).  Cold chain development has been highlighted as a priority under the IPEF and is specifically mentioned in Pillar II. The following is an exert from the official wording of the framework: “Each party agrees to the extent possible to foster the increased availability of and investment in long-term and cold-chain warehousing near or easily accessible to ports of entry, and to avoid discriminatory policies and procedures that limit warehousing options for imported goods.” GCCA has been working closely with the Department of Commerce and appreciates its efforts to ensure that the cold chain is incorporated into the framework of the agreement.