Supply Chain Agreement
The Supply Chain Agreement entered-into-force on 24 February 2024 following ratification by Japan, the US, Singapore, Fiji and India. The Agreement had been signed by all 14 IPEF partners on 14 November 2023, after negotiations were substantially concluded on 27 May 2023 – the first IPEF Agreement to be concluded.
The Supply Chain Agreement establishes the first multi-country arrangement to strengthen the resilience and connectivity of supply chains through collective and individual actions. Three coordination bodies will be established to advance cooperation among IPEF countries: (a) a Supply Chain Council that will develop sector-specific action plans to strengthen resilience in critical sectors and key goods; (b) a Crisis Response Network to facilitate emergency communications and coordination between governments during supply chain disruptions; and (c) a tripartite Labour Rights Advisory Board that will help promote labour rights in IPEF countries’ supply chains.
The text of the Agreement can be found here, and the Ministerial Statement can be found here.