Here are ten things to know about the Trans Pacific Partnership:
* Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations began in March 2010, after President Barack Obama endorsed George W. Bush's commitment to join.
* TPP began as a free trade agreement (FTA) between New Zealand and Singapore, then became the Pacific 4 (P4) when Chile and Brunei joined.
* The US is effectively leading the negotiations.
* 12 countries are now negotiating: US, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Japan.
* The deal covers more than just market access and tariffs; it includes intellectual property rights, foreign investment rules, labour and environment standards, procurement policies, state-owned enterprises and competition, and disputes procedures.
* Population of the 12 countries combined is 792 million.
* GDP of the 12 countries in 2012 was $US27 trillion, of which the United States was $US15.6 trillion.
* Among TPP countries, NZ has free trade agreements with Australia, Singapore, Brunei and Chile, Vietnam and Malaysia.
* TPP would give NZ a new free trade agreement with the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico and Peru.
* The US already has an FTA with six of the 12 TPP countries. TPP would give it a new FTA with Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, New Zealand, and Chile.