Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

We are the leading experts and go-to development partner for RCEP by governments and businesses both within and outside the trade bloc. Our team has been on the ground since day one and actively participated as a trusted independent resource in all of the negotiation rounds of RCEP. We bring this unmatched expertise to support governments in fully implementing their market access commitments as well as help businesses maximize the benefits arising from the world’s largest free trade agreement to date.

We understand in depth the rationale, motivations, and implications of this trade agreement like the palm of our hands. We were both present in the room and provided strategic counsel to trade negotiators to leverage their market competitiveness and built a rich experience helping firms, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises, across the region take advantage of new opportunities offered by RCEP. Read some of our insights on RCEP below.

Talk to us about how we can help you navigate the world’s largest trade deal.

RCEP Benefits for the Advanced Manufacturing Sector, booklet prepared for the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce, December 2021

RCEP Benefits: Trade and Investment Services, booklet prepared for the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce, December 2021

Understanding the RCEP Services, Investment, and E-commerce Chapters: Benefits for Businesses, booklet prepared for the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry, September 2021.

Understanding the RCEP Intellectual Property Chapter: Benefits for Businesses, booklet prepared for the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry, September 2021.

Policy Brief 19-03: RCEP in the Final Stretch. June 2019.

Policy Brief 19-01: RCEP: Consequences of Data Restrictiveness, February 2019.

Book chapter: The Evolution of RCEP by Deborah Elms and Minh Hue Nguyen; in book "Economic Integration in Asia: Key Prospects and Challenges with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership".

Summary of ATC RCEP Work Since 2014.

Policy Brief 18-09: RCEP Status Update, October 2018.

Policy Brief 18-07: Crafting Trade Rules for a Digital Age in RCEP, October 2018.

Policy Brief 18-06: Making ROOs Work for Automotive Supply Chains in RCEP, October 2018.

Policy Brief 18-05: Keeping Investor Protections in RCEP, October 2018.

Policy Brief 18-04: Conformity Assessment Procedures for the Toy Industry in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), July 2018.

Policy Brief 18-03: Proposed Text for Wine and Distilled Spirits for RCEP, July 2018.

Policy Brief 18-02: RCEP: Goods Rules that Work for Smaller Firms in Asia, May 2018.

Policy Brief 18-01: The Need for Sectoral Annexes in RCEP, May 2018.

Policy Brief 17-12: TPP11 and RCEP Compared, November 2017.

Policy Brief 17-10: Online Travel Agencies in Asia: Partners in E-Services Growth, October 2017.

Policy Brief 17-10: Online Travel Agencies in Asia: Partners in E-Services Growth, October 2017 (Translated in Korean).

Policy Brief 17-10: Online Travel Agencies in Asia: Partners in E-Services Growth, October 2017 (Translated in Chinese).

Whitepaper: Online Travel Agencies in Asia: A Major Opportunity in E-Services, October 2017.

Policy Brief 17-09: RCEP: Status Update, September 2017.

Policy Brief 17-08: Model Language Suggestions to Facilitate Cross-Border Trade for MSMEs, July 2017.

Policy Brief 17-06: How Did Keeping Children Safe Get So Complicated In Asia?, May 2017.

Policy Brief 17-05: RCEP: Helping MSMEs Struggle Less With Standards, May 2017.

Policy Brief 17-04: RCEP: Handling Data Privacy, May 2017.

Policy Brief 17-03: RCEP: Managing E-Commerce At Customs, May 2017.

Policy Brief 17-02: How Does Data Localisation Hurt Small Businesses?, March 2017.

Policy Brief 17-01: RCEP: Facilitating Trade For E-commerce, March 2017.

February 21, 2017, Webinar: in Conjunction with Thomson Reuters: Demystifying RCEP - The "Other" Mega-Regional Trade Agreement.

Policy Brief 16-17: How RCEP Can Achieve Better Consumer Protection Using Improved Product Testing, October 2016.

Policy Brief 16-16: RCEP: Model Language Suggestions for IP and Digital Trade, December 2016.

Policy Brief 16-15: RCEP: Model E-Commerce Language, December 2016.

Policy Brief 16-14: RCEP: Facilitating E-Payments, October 2016.

Policy Brief 16-13: RCEP: 2016 Early Harvest Recommendations, July 2016.

Policy Brief 16-12: Encouraging Mobile Devices in ASEAN, June 2016.

Policy Brief 16-11: How An FTA Like TPP Can Transform A Global Value Chain: The Ketchup Example, May 2016.

Policy Brief 16-11b: Standards and Testing in RCEP, June 2016.

RCEP: E-Commerce Working Paper, June 2016.

Policy Brief 16-10: RCEP: Proposals for Trade in Goods and Rules of Origin, June 2016.

Policy Brief 16-09: Investment Recommendations for RCEP, June 2016.

Policy Brief 16-08: What is RCEP? May 2016.

Policy Brief 16-07: Concentrated Trade in RCEP. April 2016.

Policy Brief 16-05: Challenges of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in E-Commerce in Asia, May 2016.

Policy Brief 16-04: Encouraging Mobile in RCEP, April 2016, Click here.

"RCEP Brings New Opportunities for Gradual Agricultural Reforms in India" by Deborah Elms and Kelly Phuong Tran. 2014.  Presented at Indian Agriculture Sector Under Trade Liberalization and WTO: Issues and Challenges, Centre for WTO Studies, IIFT, New Delhi, December 11-12, 2014.