How to do business in the Indo-Pacific
Thinking about exporting to the Indo-Pacific or growing your market share in the region? Learn how to make the most of opportunities available through the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and find resources to smooth your path to this lucrative market.
- Business opportunities in the Indo-Pacific
- How to use CPTPP to your advantage
- Prepare for markets in the Indo-Pacific
- Get market support in the Indo-Pacific
Business opportunities in the Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific has diverse and fast-growing markets that offer tremendous opportunities for Canadian businesses. CPTPP is a free trade agreement currently in force between Canada and 10 Indo-Pacific countries:
The United Kingdom became a signatory to the CPTPP on July 16, 2023. The United Kingdom is the first and only economy with whom an accession process has been commenced and concluded. The U.K. will become party to the CPTPP once the necessary entry into force provisions are completed.
How to use CPTPP to your advantage
CPTPP is one of Canada’s most ambitious trade initiatives. The agreement has reduced and eliminated tariffs, reduced barriers to trade, and set high standards for investment, government procurement, labour and environment.
Here are the top ways you can use CPTPP to your advantage:
Price your products more competitively: Upon full implementation of CPTPP, 99% of tariff lines in CPTPP markets will be duty-free. This gives you room to price your products competitively in each CPTPP market.
Deal with barriers to trade in services: The agreement provides additional transparency regarding barriers to trade, including quantitative and discriminatory restrictions on the services you supply, the form of legal entity or joint venture you can use, and the establishment of a representative office or residency requirement in a CPTPP country to do business. In many sectors, you’ll operate under the same rules as domestic competitors.
Invest abroad with reduced risk: The CPTPP investment chapter establishes a transparent framework that ensures predictability and stability for foreign investors, and also contributes to reduced risks for Canadian investors investing abroad with the inclusion of a mechanism to resolve investment disputes.
Increase your market presence: CPTPP includes temporary entry commitments to make it easier for certain skilled business people to do business in countries within the trading bloc. This opens opportunities to make contacts, connect with investors, bid on government contracts and work abroad temporarily. These provisions can give your business more certainty when establishing branches, bidding on service contracts, or providing installation and maintenance services for goods in the Indo-Pacific. Note that Canada took commitments on a reciprocal basis and the access granted varies by CPTPP Party.
Bid on contracts with CPTPP governments: The agreement creates greater access to government procurement opportunities, including, for the first time, in Vietnam and Malaysia (once it ratifies the agreement). The Government Procurement Chapter annex for each country links to respective government websites where bidding opportunities are published.
Prepare for markets in the Indo-Pacific
Are you export-ready?
Take our quiz to see if your company is ready to start exporting to CPTPP countries.
Learn about CPTPP benefits for businesses
Find out how to grow your business in the Indo-Pacific using CPTPP.
Step-by-step guide to exporting
Plan your entry into new markets with guidance from the Trade Commissioner Service.
Access tools for business
Find guides, tools, videos and contacts to help your business navigate CPTPP and expand into the Indo-Pacific.
Watch our CPTPP videos to help prepare you for exporting to Indo-Pacific markets:
- How CPTPP helps your products compete in Indo-Pacific markets
- Step 1 – Identify and classify your products
- Step 2 – Find out if your products benefit from tariff reductions
- Step 3 – Make sure your products meet the rules of origin
- Step 4 – Claim tariff reductions for your products
Get market support in the Indo-Pacific
Funding and support programs
Apply for financing, learn about finding programs and discover services to support your expansion plans.
Find a trade commissioner
Get expert advice and key contacts from trade commissioners located in over 160 cities worldwide.
Country and sector information
Research your CPTPP target markets. Access up-to-date reports on markets and sectors worldwide.
Related links
- How the CPTPP can help your business grow in the Indo‑Pacific
- CPTPP: Use the agreement to grow your global sales – EDC
- 10 tips on how to profit from the CPTPP – EDC
- Guidebook for Doing Business in the Indo-Pacific: A Resource for Indigenous Businesses – Indo-Pacific Foundation of Canada
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