Issues Linger for Trans-Pacific Trade Deal

Reuters - Ministers in 12-nation Trans-Pacific trade talks said on Tuesday they have made progress trying to finalize a deal during a four-day meeting in Singapore, but several issues remain, particularly questions over market access.

"While some issues remain, we have charted a path forward to resolve them," said New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser, reading from a joint media release at the end of the meeting.

"Market access" issues remain one of the main sticking points, the ministers said.

Ministers involved in the talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which aims to break down trade barriers across a wide range of sectors, had signalled ahead of the meeting that they were close to reaching a deal.

However, long-running differences on tariffs on imported goods, particularly between the United States and Japan, are proving to be particularly difficult to overcome.

(Reporting by Rachel Armstrong and Masayuki Kitano; Editing by Paul Tait)