WikiLeaks releases part of secret TPP trade deal

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By BNO NEWS

WikiLeaks has released what it claims is the final negotiated text for a part of the secret Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which encompasses 12 Pacific Rim countries and seeks to lower trade barriers such as tarrifs.

The organization posted a 61-page document to its website on Friday that it claims is the consolidated text of the TPP’s Intellectual Property Rights Chapter. The document, which is dated October 5th, is one of the deal’s most controversial chapters as it focuses on the establishment of a common framework for intellectual property.

The authenticity of the documents could not be independently verified, but the text appeared to be legitimate. It is unknown how WikiLeaks obtained the document.

Secrecy surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership has made it one of the most controversial trade deals. It took 5 years to negotiate the deal and covers approximately 40 percent of the global economy, including Australia, Japan, and the United States.

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