Uruguay’s Path into the CPTPP

By Pittaluga Abogados

Uruguay has been formally accepted to begin the accession process to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans‑Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). This step marks the opening of formal negotiations with the existing members of one of the world’s largest free‑trade agreements. 

The CPTPP is a plurilateral trade agreement originally signed in 2018 by a group of countries across Asia‑Pacific and later joined by the United Kingdom. Together, its members account for around 15% of global gross domestic product (GDP) and form a market of nearly 600 million consumers. The treaty encompasses modern trade disciplines — covering goods, services, investment, intellectual property, e‑commerce, labor and environmental standards — and reduces tariff and non‑tariff barriers among its members. 

Uruguay first submitted its formal application to join the CPTPP in 2022. After several years of preparatory work and diplomatic engagement, the existing member countries collectively granted no objections to Uruguay’s accession request, a necessary precondition to initiate the technical negotiation phase. 

With this approval, Uruguay has now joined a working group with CPTPP members. This body will negotiate the specific conditions of accession, addressing regulatory alignment and commitments across various chapters of the agreement. The negotiation process is expected to involve detailed technical and political discussions and may extend over 12 to 24 months before terms are finalized and ratified. 

Trade with current CPTPP members already plays a measurable role in Uruguay’s external commerce. On average, exports to these countries have accounted for around 9 % of the nation’s total goods exports, amounting to more than US $1 billion annually prior to the accession process.