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APEC Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Ministers have concluded their annual meeting with a call for government intervention to promote new ventures, increase support for innovation and strengthen human resources development.

These observations were made in the Santiago Agenda on Entrepreneurship that was endorsed at the 11th APEC Small and Medium Enterprise Ministers' Meeting in Santiago, Chile, on October 6-7.

The agenda seeks to share the experiences of APEC Member-Economies in creating a healthy business environment to foster growth and innovation for SMEs.

The Santiago Agenda calls for public sector intervention in the regional economy to ensure entrepreneurship promotion policies are developed to promote growth and job creation as well as to encourage SME innovation.

In addition to ways to promote new ventures, the Santiago Agenda also acknowledges the justification for public intervention for reasons of overcoming economic instability, disadvantages based on ethnicity, imbalances between rural and urban development, and gender inequity.
While priority accorded to individual objectives of the Santiago Agenda varies between economies, specific areas have been identified where public intervention and the development of stronger policies for entrepreneurship promotion may be particularly useful.

A series of recommendations and actions have been noted of each of these four areas:
- Developing Human Capital
- Access to Funding
- Removing Barriers to new Business Creation, and
- Innovation and Technology.

The Santiago Agenda on Entrepreneurship is now available on the APEC Secretariat Website.



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The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has presented a picture of cautious optimism for the tourism industry in their presentation to Tourism Ministers from APEC Member Economies meeting in Punta Arenas, Chile today.

In its presentation on their Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) the WTTC President, Jean-Claude Baumgarten, said the industry has weathered the "perfect storm of terrorism, war and health concerns that created a disproportionate toll of concern and impact on our consumers, the industry and our economy".

Mr. Baumgarten was invited to brief 3rd APEC Tourism Ministers' Meeting at the invitation of Chile's Minister of Economy and Energy, Jorge Rodriguez Grossi, who chaired the meeting.

WTTC is forecasting that the Travel & Tourism industry is poised for a robust recovery in 2004, and the worldwide industry is expected to generate:

US$ 5,490.4 billion of economic activity

10.4 per cent of total GDP

214,697,000 jobs or 8.1 per cent of total employment

12.2 per cent of total exports

Mr. Baumgarten also presented Ministers with a new ranking and scale for Travel & Tourism output in each of the APEC Member Economies. Mr. Baumgarten highlighted "The massive Travel & Tourism demand in the USA at nearly US$1.5 trillion in 2004, followed by Japan at almost US$500 billion.

He continued, "China is also beginning to show its true potential, now ranking at number 8 of 174 countries at nearly US$250 billion in 2004," Mr. Baumgarten said.

"We believe that China will become a tourism economy like the world has never seen. However, the Chinese Government needs to prepare the groundwork for new consumer demand, by facilitating the development of transportation networks, infrastructure, tourism destinations, and a favourable policy environment."

The APEC Travel & Tourism Economies 
Travel & Tourism Demand 2004
US$ Millions

World RankCountry     US$ Millions 1 USA 1,460,000 2Japan 470,940 8 China 222,851 9 Canada 150,96110 Australia 94,033 12Mexico73,34513Korea69,94015Russia67,65520Hong Kong, China43,56227Indonesia30,30128Thailand29,35729Chinese Taipei26,06633Malaysia24,31135Singapore21,59841New Zealand14,99048Philippines10,13654Chile7,16056Peru6,65058Viet Nam6,029121PNG860127

Brunei Darussalam

709

Mr. Baumgarten also spoke about WTTC's long-term forecast for growth in the APEC economies. The forecast showed Travel & Tourism to be growing fastest in China, Viet Nam, Chinese Taipei, Mexico and Indonesia. With two APEC Economies in WTTC's top ten list, China at number three and Viet Nam at number four, Mr. Baumgarten declared this "an extraordinary vote of confidence from WTTC and its research partner Oxford Economics".

He added, "Although the outlook is particularly positive for many of the APEC economies, we must strengthen our efforts to move Travel & Tourism up the priority ladder and secure our industry against political complacency, terrorism and health concerns so it can fulfil the promise of job creation that the APEC economies seek."

The APEC Travel & Tourism Economies
Travel & Tourism Demand 2005-2014
Annualized Percent Growth

World RankCountry     Annl Pct Growth 3 China8.74Viet Nam 8.3 12 Chinese Taipei7.3 13 Mexico7.114 Indonesia7.1 21Russia6.824Hong Kong, China6.728Singapore6.643Korea6.048Malaysia5.953Thailand5.859Philippines5.768Chile5.576Australia5.3109Peru4.5111PNG4.5120New Zealand 4.3124Canada4.2129USA4.1141

Brunei Darussalam

3.8173

Japan

2.4

Mr. Baumgarten also briefed Ministers the WTTC's call to action for growth, the Blueprint for New Tourism, which declares Travel & Tourism as a partnership. The Blueprint is intended as a course of action designed to deliver consistent results that match the needs of economies, local and regional authorities and local communities. The premise behind the Blueprint for New Tourism is based on:

Governments recognizing Travel & Tourism as a top priority

Business balancing economics with people, culture and environment

A shared pursuit of long-term growth and prosperity

The 3rd APEC Tourism Ministers' Meeting was held in Punta Arenas, Chile, on October 13-14. Further information about the meeting and the Patagonia Declaration on Tourism in the APEC Region that was endorsed by Ministers is now available.



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The 3rd APEC Tourism Ministers' Meeting has concluded in Punta Arenas with a News Conference hosted by Chile's Minister Responsible for Tourism, Jorge Rodriguez Grossi.

A Video and Audio Webcast of the News Conference is available:

Opening Statement by Mr. Jorge Rodriguez Grossi
Chile Minister Responsible for Tourism

[https://www]

Audio (En Español)
Video (En Español)

Comments by Ma. Consuelo Puyat-Reyes, 
Ambassador of the Philippines to Chile

[https://www]

Audio (En Español)
Video (En Español) 



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APEC Tourism Ministers have concluded their meeting in Punta Arenas, in the South of Chile by endorsing the Patagonia Declaration on Tourism in the APEC Region.Issued at the conclusion of the 3rd APEC Tourism Ministers' Meeting in Punta Arenas, Chile, on October 13-14, the Declaration instructs APEC Tourism Working Group (TWG) Officials to implement a strategic plan to ensure the viability of the regional tourism industry.

"We instruct the TWG to undertake a strategic review to ensure a work program that addresses challenges affecting tourism in the coming years, for consideration by the Ministers in 2006," Ministers stated in the Patagonia Declaration."

The Declaration cites a number of key issues for officials to take into consideration including measuring sustainability, safety and security and projects to expand niche product development, such as sports and health tourism.

In making its recommendations the Declaration adopts the long-term policy goals that have been developed by the APEC Tourism Working Group. These goals seek to ensure that the tourism industry continues to develop through sustainably managed tourist facilities and that tourism is promoted as a vehicle for economic and social development. Theses aims are sought through removing impediments to investment in the tourism industry and improving the mobility of tourists in the region.

In the declaration Ministers also called for APEC Member Economies to share information broadly to be able to more accurately measure the economic size of the tourism industry and to be better prepared in the event of crises.

"We encourage all APEC member economies to continue work on Tourism Satellite Accounts to measure the precise value of tourism in their economies," Ministers stated.

"We underline the need to implement crisis management plans and to facilitate intra regional cooperation. We also encourage member economies to promote timely infrastructure development and information exchange within the APEC Region.

Tourism Ministers also supported a call made by numerous other APEC Ministerial Forums that the training and use of the English language be expanded for trade in the Asia-Pacific Region.

The Tourism Ministers' Meeting was chaired by Jorge Rodriguez, Minister Responsible for Tourism in Chile, and took place both in Punta Arenas, and on board the MN "Mare Australis" during a journey to major tourist sites in the Chilean channels located in Tierra del Fuego.

Tourism Ministers will remain in Punta Arenas overnight to take part in a technical tour (weather permitting) to either Antarctica or the Torres del Paine National Park on Friday.



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The 3rd APEC Tourism Ministers Meeting took place in Punta Arenas, Chile, on October 13-14. The opening remarks by Ambassador Mario Matus, Senior Official from Chile, and Ambassador Mario Artaza, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat at the Opening Session are available via video and audio webcast.

Ambassador Mario Matus

[https://www]

Audio 56 Kbps 

Video 56Kbps  

Video Broadband 

 

Ambassador Mario Artaza

[https://www]

Audio 56 Kbps

Video 56Kbps

Video Broadband



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Issued by the APEC Sub-Group on Research, Development & Extension of Agricultural Biotechnology

Developing transparent and science-based approaches to the regulation of the newest products of agricultural biotechnology research is one of the key tasks before an APEC Agricultural Biotechnology workshop next week in Seoul, Korea.

The workshop will address a range of agricultural science issues including measures to strengthen the capacity of developing economies to employ the safe use of new agricultural biotechnology.

Chair of the meeting, Dr. Je-Kyu Kim, from Korea's Rural Development Administration said breakthroughs in the field of agricultural biotechnology can deliver enormous benefits so long as the industry is responsibly managed.

"Advances in biotechnology have the capability of increasing the amount and efficiency of food production," Dr. Kim said.

"However, the issues surrounding Biotechnology can be both complex and controversial. Considerable planning, transparency, and communication are required to establish the necessary regulatory foundations for the responsible management of all aspects of this industry.

"This workshop in Seoul will bring together biotechnology scientists, government officers and private sector representatives who are working together to make the agricultural biotechnology industry productive and safe.

"At the workshop delegates will have the opportunity to share their economy's experiences in developing the agricultural biotechnology industry and develop solutions to meet challenges of the future.

"Seoul is a wise choice for hosting this meeting on managing agricultural biotechnology advances considering high priority Korea has placed on the industry in recent years."

Scheduled to take place on the 8th to the 17th of November, the Eighth APEC Workshop on Agricultural Biotechnology is being organized by the APEC Sub-Group on Research, Development and Extension of Agricultural Biotechnology (RDEAB).

In the first session, from November 8 to 12, Member Economies will provide a status report on their biotechnology sectors. These briefings will explain the methods their economy has employed and their experiences with various aspects of the industry. Participants will also learn from expert speakers on biotechnology regulation and emerging issues related to it.

The second session, from November 15 to 17, will consist of a hands-on training exercise for regulators in APEC economies to build their industry capacity. All the economies will work together on selected environmental and food safety assessments.

APEC Ministers have assigned the RDEAB with the task of exchanging information on realizing the potential benefits of biotechnology advances while taking into account food safety and environmental quality.



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The Leaders and representatives of APEC's 21 Member Economies will meet in Santiago, Chile, on November 20-21 for the 12th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. Prior to the Leaders' Meeting, a series of supporting events will take place including the 16th APEC Ministerial Meeting on November 17-18.

Under the 2004 theme of "One Community, Our Future" other high level events taking place in the lead-up to the Leaders' Meeting are the concluding meeting of APEC Senior Officials, the final meeting for 2004 of the APEC Business Advisory Council and the APEC CEO Summit.The range of issues covered by Leaders, Ministers, Senior Officials and other forums is likely to include the key themes addressed during the 2004 APEC Year Hosted by Chile. These include:

Trade and Investment issues including Regional Trade Agreements and Free Trade Arrangements, trade facilitation policies and APEC support for the WTO

Human security issues including counter terrorism and infectious diseases

Enhancing the efficiency, stability and security of financial markets

Anti-corruption and transparency measures

Human resource development and capacity building activities

Preparation for the Mid-Term Stock-Take of progress towards APEC's free trade and investment goals that will take place in Korea in 2005

This year's APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is a culmination of events that have taken place since the previous Leaders' Meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2003 and provides the opportunity for Leaders to set the APEC work agenda for 2005, which will be hosted by the Republic of Korea.

Since the 2003 Leaders' Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, over 170 sectoral and working group meetings and ten ministerial meetings have taken place in Chile and in other APEC Member Economies. These meetings enable working level initiatives and reforms to be implemented within the Asia-Pacific that advance progress towards the APEC goals in a broad range of economic sectors.

The APEC meeting dates scheduled for Santiago in November are:

Concluding Senior Officials Meeting                      14-15 Nov   
Joint Ministerial Meeting                                      17-18 Nov   
APEC Business Advisory Council Meeting (ABAC)   17-19 Nov   
CEO Summit                                                      19-21 Nov   
APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting                          20-21 Nov  

The APEC website will be updated regularly with the latest information including media releases, speeches and webcasts from the Santiago meetings. APEC has set the core target of achieving the "Bogor Goals" of free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific by 2010 for industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies.



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Issued by the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council (ABAC)

The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) has published its annual report of recommendations that it will present to and discuss with Leaders of APEC's 21 Member Economies when they meet in Santiago, Chile, in two weeks.

Among the recommendations in "Bridging the Pacific: Coping with the Challenges of Globalization," are a proposal to study the concept of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), a call for increased regional anti-corruption measures, and consideration of the costs imposed on business by compliance with new security measures.

ABAC has also made a number of suggestions intended to increase progress towards the Bogor Goals of regional free trade and investment in the APEC region by 2010 for industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies.

In presenting the report to the President Ricardo Lagos of Chile, who will Chair this year's Leaders' Meeting, ABAC Chair, Hernan Somerville said the range of recommendations focus on what ABAC feels needs to be done to reinvigorate APEC's agenda and its relevance to business.

"In our Report, we are asking you (APEC Leaders) to consider an ambitious new Trans-Pacific Business Agenda - to enhance the scope and effectiveness of APEC's trade facilitation initiatives - and to direct officials to conduct a joint scoping study with a view to launch this initiative by 2005," Mr. Somerville advised the President.

"We also explored the idea of a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) that potentially could bring significant economic benefit to the region as a whole. We believe that the idea has merits, and is worth further study. We therefore recommend that APEC Leaders establish a high-level task force to examine the concept in more detail."

Concentrating on areas that are central to the needs of business and economic prosperity, the report argues for a deepening of the consultative processes between public and private stakeholders in the regional economy.

"We examine the impact of new security threats, and the costs of countermeasures, on business, we stress the need to strengthen financial systems and the urgent need to address the debilitating effects of corruption. In these key areas and others, we offer recommendations to Leaders on ways to enhance APEC's effectiveness and relevance."

The six key issue areas covered in the report are:

Advancing WTO negotiations

Reaching APEC's Bogor Goals

Security compliance costs

Strengthening financial systems

Capacity building efforts

Trade & investment reform agenda

The report will be presented to APEC Leaders when they meet with ABAC Members on November 20. This meeting is part of the program of the Annual APEC Economic Leaders Meeting that is scheduled to take place in Santiago, Chile on November 20-21.

ABAC meets four times each year and its work is compiled into its annual report of recommendations to Leaders. Additional details about ABAC can be found at: www.abaconline.org



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The first formal event to take place in the lead up to the 2004 APEC Leaders Meeting has taken place in Santiago, Chile, with the opening of the APEC International Media Centre by President Ricardo Lagos.

In his opening address President Lagos of Chile welcomed the media who will use the International Media Center to prepare news for global distribution over the following ten days.

President Ricardo Lagos of Chile

[https://www] Video 56 Kbps (in Spanish)

The current series of meetings in Chile includes the Concluding Meeting of APEC Senior Officials on November 14-15, the Annual Joint Ministerial Meeting on November 17-18 and the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on November 20-21.

Other events include the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Meeting on November 17-19 and the APEC CEO Summit on November 19-21.



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Issued by the APEC SOM Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation (ESC)

Projects to develop human capital and strengthen the operations of small and medium enterprises are some of the highlights of 2004 APEC outcomes cited in the annual report by the APEC SOM Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation (ESC).

To be presented to Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministers from APEC Member Economies in this year's meeting in Santiago on November 17-18, the report provides a summary of the 121 ESC projects undertaken over the past year.

The report also highlights the development of a New Quality Assessment Framework for APEC project proposals that will ensure ECOTECH projects continue to make a strong contribution towards APEC's free trade and investment goals.

ESC Chair, Ambassador Juan Carlos Capuñay, said that the ESC's work this year was based on a shortlist of APEC-wide Economic and Technical Cooperation (ECOTECH) priorities approved by Ministers in 2003.

"Ministers set the economic and technical cooperation direction for our work that aims to help people to benefit from changes in the global economy," said Ambassador Capuñay.

"Around 47% of the ESC projects undertaken over the past year have focused on building human capital and addressing the social consequences of globalization."

"Projects assisting small and medium enterprise entrepreneurs to gain access to the global economy have covered areas such as e-business and microfinance training programs."

"ECOTECH activities within APEC, which include seminars, symposia and training, are goal-oriented, with explicit objectives, milestones and performance criteria."

Ambassador Capuñay said over the past year the ESC has developed a two-pronged approach to strengthen implementation of ECOTECH activities.

"At the working group level we are encouraging independent assessment of working groups to ensure that work is responsive to current priorities and serves APEC's free trade and investment goals," said Ambassador Capuñay.

"At a project level we have developed a Quality Assessment Framework to help project proponents submit good quality projects for consideration by our Budget and Management Committee. This will ensure that the limited money that economies commit to APEC is spent wisely so that maximum benefit goes to those who need it most."

"We are supplementing this work with other means to make our projects more transparent such as revamping the APEC project database. This will be fully operational early next year."

Ambassador Capuñay also said that the ESC will be working closely with Korea, next year's APEC host, to organize a second Roundtable Dialogue on ECOTECH with International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and the private sector in the margins of SOM III. The topic will revolve around the issue of SMEs development and the use of English for business.



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Issued by the APEC Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI)

In 2004, Economies worked together to deliver results on several far-reaching APEC initiatives whose objectives are to make it easier for business to trade in the region, support the WTO, and deliver real progress on transparency and the digital economy.

APEC's Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI) tabled its annual report to Ministers today. The report details how the CTI helped to implement several APEC initiatives agreed at the Bangkok APEC Leaders' Meeting in 2003 and at past APEC Summits. In 2004, the CTI focused on responding to Leaders' instructions in five priority areas: support for the WTO, trade facilitation, transparency, Pathfinder Initiatives, and structural reform.

"Through the hard work of all 21 member economies, the CTI truly delivered on its five priorities this year, and this was done through working in cooperation with the business community," said the Chair of the Committee, Alan Bowman.

In 2004, the CTI agreed on transparency standards on government procurement. APEC now has transparency standards on nine trade policy areas. This is one of APEC's most substantial results on trade issues in recent years. In 2004, the CTI also developed tools to help member economies implement these standards.

"The APEC transparency standards are the most comprehensive adopted by any international forum." said Mr. Bowman. "One of the main business concerns in the region is the lack of transparency. CTI is tackling this issue and delivering results. Our transparency standards are directly aimed at addressing key business concerns such as timely access to information."

CTI is also the main channel through which APEC implements its 2002-2006 Trade Facilitation Action Plan (TFAP). This year, CTI conducted a mid-term review of the Plan that showed that APEC economies are on track with implementation. In October 2004, CTI organized an Expanded Dialogue on Trade Facilitation with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) that resulted in a commitment to work even more closely with business in the two remaining years of the TFAP.

CTI also endorsed ABAC's views that WTO negotiations on trade facilitation should include commitments on transparency, efficiency, simplification, non-discrimination, procedural fairness, cooperation, and capacity building.

"One of the CTI's key roles is to help APEC to support the WTO. We paved the way for an agreement on trade facilitation at the WTO, and we also trained hundreds of officials from developing economies on WTO issues." said Mr. Bowman "WTO capacity building is one of our key priorities."

The Committee also implemented initiatives in other areas, such as the protection of intellectual property rights, structural reform, the implementation of Pathfinder Initiatives, and in particular, the Pathfinder Statement on Trade and the Digital Economy. In addition, the CTI organized a wide range of capacity building projects across the spectrum of APEC's trade agenda, with a particular focus on trade facilitation in areas such as customs and standards.

The Committee on Trade and Investment also made an important contribution to APEC's security agenda in 2004, through the work of its Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures and its Business Mobility Group, who developed initiatives on customs integrity, document security, advance passenger information (API) systems, and a Regional Movement Alert System (RMAL).



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The 16th APEC Ministerial Meeting has concluded following two days of meetings in Santiago, Chile. Ministers from APEC's 21 Member Economies have released a Joint Statement that is now available on the APEC Website by clicking here.

The APEC Leaders' Meeting will take place on November 20-21 to conclude the 2004 APEC Year hosted by Chile.

Two other major APEC events are also taking place this week. These are the final APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Meeting for 2004 that is already underway and concludes tomorrow, November 19, and the APEC CEO Summit that begins in November 19 and Concludes on November 21.

Issues covered in the Ministers' Joint Statement:

A COMMITMENT TO DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TRADE AND INVESTMENT

World Trade Organization (WTO)

Regional Trading Arrangements / Free Trade Agreements

Interaction with the Business Community

Trade and Investment Liberalization and Facilitation

e-APEC and the Information Society

Industry Dialogues

Life Sciences Innovation

Individual and Collective Action Plans

Structural Reform

Anti-Corruption and Transparency

Economic and Technical Cooperation and Capacity Building

SHARING BENEFITS THROUGH BETTER PRACTICES: ENHANCING HUMAN SECURITY

Counter-Terrorism and Secure Trade

Health Security

Energy Security

Invasive Alien Species

GROWTH AND STABILITY: KEYS FOR APEC INTEGRATION

Macroeconomic Issues

SKILLS FOR THE COMING CHALLENGES

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL GROWTH

Small and Medium Enterprises

Gender

Youth

COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

Sustainable Development

Agricultural Biotechnology

EXPERIENCING OUR DIVERSITY

FROM SANTIAGO TO BUSAN: PENDING TASKS

APEC Reform

Mid-Term Stock-take

Approval of SOM Report

APEC Secretariat

APEC 2005

Future Meetings



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Ignacio Walker, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Chile, hosted a news conference following the conclusion of the 16th Annual Ministerial Meeting.

The following is a video webcast of the opening address of the news conference.

(Webcast features the voice of the official translator in English)

Ignacio Walker, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Chile

[https://www]  Video 56 Kbps

Ignacio Walker, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Chile

[https://www]  Video Broadband



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APEC Economic Outlook: 4% GDP Growth Despite Slight Downturn

Santiago, Chile, 18 November 2004

Issued by the APEC Economic Committee

The latest APEC Economic Outlook predicts that despite 2004 producing the strongest economic growth in four years, "the world economy is expected to experience a slight slowdown in economic growth but still maintain a GDP growth of over 4 percent."

In the annual APEC Economic Committee report, Committee Chair, Dr. Choong Yong Ahn, also cautioned that the predicted growth may be slowed by several 'headwind' factors.

"Reflecting the strong growth of domestic demand in major economies, world trade will grow significantly this year as well as next," Dr. Ahn stated in the report.

"However there are a number of 'headwinds' that may slow down this progress. The first is the higher oil prices caused by strong demand mainly from the US and China, and this reflects the 'terror premium' on oil prices resulting from geo-political factors in the Middle East.

"Another is the increasing possibility of rising interest rates initiated by the monetary authorities in the context of a cyclical peak of economic growth and soaring energy costs.

"In this context, the Outlook continues to emphasize the importance of maintaining APEC members' structural reforms to improve the efficiency of their own economic systems in order to sustain economic growth in the medium-term."

The APEC Economic Outlook is submitted annually at the Ministerial Meeting. The report summarizes recent developments and short-term prospects of all APEC Member Economies.

The report also addresses topical structural issues that impact the regional economy at the time the report is produced.

The 2004 Economic Outlook is produced through a collaborative effort of all APEC Member Economies and the APEC Secretariat, with the Economic Committee (EC) Chair's Office and Chile serving as co-coordinators.

The report has been presented to APEC Ministers at their annual meeting currently underway in Santiago and is available on the APEC Website.



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APEC Ministers have endorsed a three stage initiative to strengthen the role of Regional Trade Agreements and Free Trade Agreements (RTAs/FTAs) in the APEC process.

This initiative includes an overall APEC policy response, a set of clear transparency measures and a capacity building program.

This endorsement came at the APEC Ministerial Meeting from 17 to 18 November in Santiago, Chile

The 'APEC Best Practices for RTAs and FTAs' are intended to achieve high standard FTA/RTA agreements in the region, to ensure that RTAs/FTAs contribute to achieving the APEC Bogor Goals, and are consistent with the WTO.

Chair of all APEC Senior Officials Meetings in 2004, Ricardo A. Lagos, said the APEC Best Practices for RTAs and FTAs initiative will help to maximize the contribution of bilateral and regional agreements to furthering trade liberalisation in the Asia-Pacific.

"These APEC Best Practices for RTAs and FTAs is a timely policy response to better understanding the growing number of RTAs/FTAs in the region," Mr. Lagos said.

"It is important for APEC Member Economies to attend to concerns expressed by the business community about the potential additional costs for business from their proliferation."

"To enhance transparency APEC Ministers have also approved a new reporting template to enable economies to share information on their RTAs/FTAs beginning in 2005.

"To support this template the APEC Secretariat is tasked with establishing a webpage with official links to most FTA agreements involving APEC member economies."

Mr. Lagos said that at the meeting in Santiago this week ministers also supported additional capacity building assistance. "The additional capacity building support is intended to ensure that all APEC Member Economies are able to undertake the analytical and negotiating tasks involved in conducting RTA and FTA negotiations."

RTAs/FTAs between APEC members often contain innovative provisions in areas such as education, cooperation, science and technology, paperless trading and mutual recognition, in addition to provisions on goods, services, trade remedies, investment, entry for business people, and dispute settlement. APEC members have already concluded 40 free trade agreements and are currently negotiating 34 more.

Best Practices for FTAs and RTAs can be downloaded here.



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APEC Ministers endorsed the APEC Privacy Framework at their November meeting in recognition of the significant contribution that it will make to APEC's efforts to increase cross-border trade and growth in e-commerce in the region. The Framework promotes a consistent approach to information privacy protection across APEC member economies, while also avoiding the creation of unnecessary barriers to information flows.

United States Secretary of State Colin Powell warned APEC ministers that a multiplicity of privacy standards could create confusion in the marketplace and impede the information flows that are vital to conducting business in a global economy.

"The APEC Privacy Framework will establish a consistent approach to privacy across APEC member economies, while also avoiding the creation of unnecessary barriers to information flows," said Secretary Powell.

"The result will be region-wide privacy policy compatibility, which will help keep APEC on the cutting edge of e-commerce."

Consistent with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's 1980 Privacy Guidelines, the Framework's privacy principles and implementation guidance are focused on the achievement of four main goals:

To develop appropriate privacy protections for personal information

To prevent the creation of unnecessary barriers to information flows

To enable multinational businesses to implement uniform approaches to the collection, use, and processing of data, and

To facilitate both domestic and international efforts to promote and enforce information privacy protections.

APEC Ministers also endorsed the Future Work Agenda on International Implementation of the APEC Privacy Framework, instructing APEC members to continue efforts to develop a regional approach to privacy that will support global business models.

Work in 2005 on information privacy will include discussion on the establishment of regional privacy codes.



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Members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) have told APEC Leaders that they believe a rapid and successful conclusion to WTO Doha Development Agenda negotiations is the top priority for the regional economy.

ABAC Members presented their annual report of recommendations and priority policy concerns when they met with APEC Economic Leaders today in Santiago.

ABAC Chair Hernan Somerville said "there is no other issue with such overarching importance to business, across the APEC region or globally, and we urged Leaders to creatively and vigorously seek an early conclusion of the round."

ABAC also took strong steps to combat corruption in the Asia Pacific region. Demonstrating the importance of Anti-corruption, ABAC members signed an Anti-corruption statement and urged APEC economies to take strong and concerted action.

ABAC Members also voiced concern over their perception that APEC is not on track to achieve its Bogor Goals of free and open trade and investment in the region on schedule. This represents a sufficient concern that ABAC wrote directly to Leaders three times this year.

In urging Leaders to take bold new measures to reinvigorate APEC's liberalization and facilitation agenda, ABAC called on Leaders to establish a high-level task force to examine the feasibility of a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP).

"We are asking Leaders to conduct a feasibility study on a prospective FTAAP as a superior approach to the growing network of bilateral FTAs, and to practically advance liberalization as a step toward global liberalization" said Somerville.

"In addition, we are asking APEC Leaders to enhance the scope and effectiveness of APEC's trade facilitation initiatives."

At the meeting with Leaders President Lagos expressed interest in the ideas put forward by ABAC stating that he considered these proposals an important contribution to the APEC Process.

ABAC's recommendations to Leaders are outlined in its annual report to APEC Leaders, which covers business recommendations in six key issue areas:



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Issued by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Symposium on ebXML for Internet Paperless Trading and Collaborative e-Business

An APEC Symposium on paperless trading and e-Business has recommended APEC Member Economies to adopt paperless 'Single Window Systems' for processing goods for cross-border trading.

The APEC Symposium on ebXML for Internet Paperless Trading and Collaborative e-Business, held in Thailand on July 21-23, attracted more than 160 e-commerce experts and policy makers from the APEC region.

Web-based single window systems allow businesses involved in cross-border trade to lodge standardized information and import, export, and transit-related documents at the one location. The systems allow for shipment data to be shared through internal computer networks with relevant government departments and agencies.

The symposium was briefed on the possibilities created by using the Electronic Business eXtensible Markup Language (ebXML) that enables companies of any size to lodge trade-related data with government agencies over the internet.

The expanded use of single window systems involving paperless trading technologies such as ebXML is expected to result in a significant reduction in business costs around the region through the more efficient movement of goods through ports.

Delegates from the government and business sectors at the symposium provided case studies on single window systems currently in use or under development.

These include Thailand's recent approval of 31 million dollars to build a fully integrated online trade administration system. The system is expected to save the Thai business community around $US700 million dollars a year when it is fully operational in 2007.

Korea is in the process of developing the single window system that will save Korean businesses around 1.6 billion dollars each year, while Singapore's existing system saves its traders over 1 billion dollars each year.

Dr. Chong Yoke Sin, Chief Operating Officer, NCS Pte., Singapore highlighted the benefits of integrating single window e-logistics systems with trade administration platforms. Dr. Chong said such single window systems deliver business lower freight costs, shorter order cycle times, better inventory management, and enhanced customer services.

Mr. Tadahiko Mori, Executive Officer of Logistics Division, Minebea Co., Ltd. said that the single window system used by his companies for customs clearance and logistics had improved Minebea's supply chain management, reduced the cost of business and increased his firm's profits.

The APEC Symposium on ebXML for Internet Paperless Trading and Collaborative e-Business was organized by the Institute for Innovative Information Technology and sponsored by the Government of Thailand, APEC and private sector companies.



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The 4th Meeting of the APEC Counter Terrorism Task Force (CTTF) is taking place at the APEC Secretariat Building on July 30-31.

The meeting began this morning with welcoming remarks from Ambassador Mario Artaza, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, and Ambassador Makarim Wibisono, Chair of the APEC CTTF.

These welcoming remarks are available via audio webcast:

- Ambassador Mario Artaza (introduced by Ambassador Markarim Wibisono)
- Ambassador Makarim Wibisono



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Issued by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 4th APEC Transportation Ministerial Meeting

Transportation leaders in the Asia-Pacific region have agreed to continue progress towards free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.

In a three-day meeting, transportation ministers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies took stock of the progress to date in opening transportation markets, and directed their officials to develop a roadmap of work required to achieve full liberalization in all modes of transportation.

Transportation security was a particularly strong focus of the ministers. In opening this fourth meeting of APEC transport ministers, Indonesia's President Megawati Sukarnoputri stated: "Transportation is the sector that has been most affected by terrorism."

The ministers focused particularly on supporting maritime and aviation security measures, with emphasis on the implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) and supporting international efforts to control access to man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). The ministers also resolved, for the first time, to develop a proposal to help secure the transport of dangerous goods. In addition, they agreed to implement an intermodal supply chain security initiative over the next two years. Transport Minister Soenarno from Indonesia said: "To expand trade APEC economies must implement polices to have a safe and secure system for the traveling public, and the business community."

The ministers agreed on measures to promote transportation safety. The APEC region currently accounts for over 40 percent of the 1.2 million road traffic fatalities annually. To combat the rising problem of road traffic fatalities and injuries, APEC will implement a technical assistance initiative to establish a system collect data on road traffic fatalities that will help design better road safety policies. To improve transportation safety and security, the ministers also agreed to a regularized exchange of information and best practices.

Economic and technical cooperation is an important part of APEC work. Transport ministers asked their officials to develop specific action plans for economic and technical cooperation to assist in establishing efficient, safest, secure, and environmentally sustainable transportation systems.

Ministers devoted their first day in Bali to meeting with senior representatives of airlines, shipping companies, automobile manufacturers, ports, and other businesses that keep people and cargo moving in the dynamic Asia-Pacific region.

The twenty-one APEC member economies represent almost 40% of the earth's population, 50% of world trade, and 60% of global production. They also represents a substantial portion of the global transportation industry, including nine of the ten largest sea ports (by volume), and some of the world's largest airlines.

The full text of the 4th APEC Transportation Ministerial Meeting Joint Statement is available at the APEC Secretariat Website.

APEC was founded in 1989. Its members are: Australia; Brunei Daresalam; Canada; Chile; the People's Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; the Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Philippines; Russia; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; the United States; and Vietnam.



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Issued by the APEC Youth Science Festival (AYSF)

Leading high school students from around the Asia-Pacific are taking part in the 3rd APEC Youth Science Festival in Beijing on now until August 9.

During the festival students aged 15-18 who have a strong science and technology interest will expand their knowledge and break down cultural barriers to learning.

Dr Paul Cheung, Lead Shepherd of the APEC Industrial Science and Technology Working Group which is the APEC fora coordinating the event with the Government of China, said the festival will bring together some of the great science and technology minds of the next generation.

"Students at the APEC Youth Science Festival will be able to learn from each other through cutting edge education programs and cultural events," Dr Cheung said.

"Students will also present their own research papers at the festival. This will be the first time many of these young students present a research paper at an international forum. It will not only be a great honour, but also a unique opportunity for them to experience their first taste of international scientific exchange and networking.

"We can expect that many of these students will go on to become leading engineers and scientists in the years ahead so it will be a pleasure bringing them together at this festival in Beijing."

Over the seven days of the festival, students will take part in a program that will introduce them to new concepts and innovation in science and technology, and a social program designed to build cultural understanding.

Two previous APEC Youth Science Festivals were held in Singapore in 2002 and Seoul in 1998. The Third Festival is expected to exceed the previous two in both scale and attendance.

Young scientists attending the Festival are selected from the APEC Member economies through very competitive selection processes in each economy. They are the next generation scientists with great potential to push the scientific frontier forward in the future.

Additional details are available on the 3rd APEC Youth Science Festival Website: www.3aysf.org/index_en.asp (English) or www.3aysf.org (Chinese)



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Over 200 students from around the Asia-Pacific attended the 2004 APEC International Youth Camp on 5 and 6 August in Taipei. Under the theme of 'Youth Entrepreneurship' the camp's aim was to promote international exchanges and cooperation, facilitate cross-cultural friendships and enhance the competitive abilities of the youth as global citizens. Activities at the camp emphasized the aspects of adventure, passion, entrepreneurship and community development.

"The competitive abilities of youths are the foundation of a country's competitive advantage," Minister Li-Chiun Cheng of the National Youth Commission told the camp.

"The future development of a country lies on the youth creativity and innovation. As the 2003 APEC Ministerial Statement declared, the youth is the future of APEC. How to empower youths to face new global challenges and further encourage them to devote in the regional cooperation beyond national borders have been top priorities. It is the challenge as well as the opportunity for all APEC economies to pursue developments with better human resources in deeper cross-cultural understandings and mutual consensus.

"As the Asia-Pacific region has become the economic hub of the world, APEC has recognized the importance of capacity building and start-up sponsorship, which will ultimately contribute to activity and innovation of youths, the main impetus to ensure the sustainable development."

To inspire creativity, the participants were organized into 15 groups for field trips around Chinese Taipei. Participants were given greater insight into creative industries and exchanged thoughts and ideas at brainstorming sessions.

As well as the students, also attending the camp were 14 speakers drawn mainly from young entrepreneurs and 5 chairpersons of APEC discussion groups, the Lead Shepherd of the Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG), Dr. Chira Hongladarom and the Program Director responsible for youth matters in the APEC Secretariat, Mr. Joseph Doraisamy.

The Camp was officially opened by the Honorable Dr. Li-Chiun Cheng, the Minister of the National Youth Commission, Chinese Taipei. The Lead Shepherd of the HRDWG and the Program Director of the APEC Secretariat provided remarks at the opening ceremony.

The culmination of the Youth Camp was the signing of a 'Youth Development Declaration' by representatives of the 15 APEC economies present.



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Issued by the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council (ABAC)

Prominent business leaders from major corporations in each of APEC's 21 Member Economies will be in Auckland next week to discuss issues affecting regional economic growth and stability.

Recommendations prepared by the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) will then be presented to APEC Leaders at their annual meeting to be held in Santiago, Chile, this November.

Areas covered by the ABAC Meeting in Auckland will include business facilitation, trade and investment promotion, financial market stability, anti-corruption and capacity building in developing regions.

Visiting business leaders will also meet with local New Zealand business representatives to discuss opportunities investing and conducting business in New Zealand.

The Auckland ABAC meetings will take place from August 18 to 20 at the Hilton Auckland, Prince's Wharf.

Representatives of news organizations are invited to attend the opening session of the Auckland ABAC Meeting at 4:30PM pm Wednesday, August 18, and to attend a press conference at 12:00noon on Friday, August 20.

This will be the third ABAC Meeting for 2004 following the first meeting in Florida in February and the second meeting in Taipei in May.

Each APEC Member Economy has three representatives on the APEC Business Advisory Council, each of these representatives is nominated to sit on the Council by the Leader of their economy.

APEC has 21 Member Economies: Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; China; Hong Kong China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Philippines; Russia; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; United States of America; and Viet Nam.



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The APEC Electronic Commerce Steering Group Internet Investigatory Training Workshop for Law Enforcement Personnel is taking place at the APEC Secretariat building in Singapore on August 19-20.

The opening address by the convener of the workshop, Mr. Pablo Zylberglait, Legal Advisor for International Consumer Protection United States Federal Trade Commission is now available via webcast.



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Regional business leaders signed a declaration this week in Auckland resolving to fight the debilitating effects of corruption in business across the APEC region.

Mr Hernan Somerville, the Chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) said today that "ABAC members will lead by example in each of our economies and encourage the highest standards of integrity and ethics."

"This has also been a year of greatly increased business attention to trade policy," Mr Somerville said.

"ABAC members are relieved that the WTO negotiations are now back on track and urge APEC Leaders to summon the political courage to complete the negotiations. The regional business message is clear that there is no other single factor with such potential to influence global and regional prosperity.

"ABAC members are also worried that the trend to bilateral trade agreements in the region is bringing increased complexity to the business environment and potentially threatening APEC's cohesiveness. Regional business would like APEC economies to adopt best practice guidelines for FTAs in the region.

"ABAC also agreed that APEC will not achieve its objectives of free trade and investment in the region unless APEC adopts a much more ambitious and proactive approach," Somerville said.

"This year ABAC has worked intensively to spell out clearly the regional business perspective. ABAC has suggested that a proposal for a Free Trade Area for the Asia Pacific warrants further study.

"APEC economies must redouble their trade facilitation efforts and take a new pro-business trade and investment reform initiative to accomplish an integrated regional market in which business could operate anywhere as if they were in their own domestic markets.

"We hope APEC Leaders will announce a commitment, in November this year, to undertake a joint scoping study with a view to launch a 'Trans-Pacific Business Agenda' at the time of the APEC Mid Term Review next year."

ABAC will also make detailed presentations to the APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting and the APEC SME Ministers Meeting to be held in September and October respectively in Santiago, Chile. These will be recommendations to strengthen and deepen markets, promote financial services deregulation and reach out broadly to the business community on measures to improve governance, combat corruption and money laundering.



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Finance Ministers from APEC Member Economies will meet in Santiago, Chile, this Thursday and Friday to address a range of issues including volatile capital flows and fiscal policy development in the Asia-Pacific region.

This year's meeting of APEC Finance Ministers will also feature the inclusion of international financial organizations in the ministerial discussions. Representatives from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will look at options to use collective strengths to build the capacity of all APEC Members to compete in the global economy.

This 11th Annual Meeting of APEC Finance Ministers will meet under the formal themes of "Fiscal Policies for Growth and Stability in an Open APEC Region" and "Institution Building in a World of Free and Volatile Capital Flows." The agenda for the meeting will also include an assessment of macroeconomic developments in the region since the last Finance Ministers' meeting.

With the mid-term review of progress towards APEC's free trade and investment goals due next year, the meeting will be an opportunity to identify priorities for the coming year.

The APEC Finance Ministers' process provides a forum for an exchange of views and information among members on regional financial developments, and for the pursuit of cooperative programs to promote financial sector development and liberalization.

The meeting will be chaired by the Finance Minister of Chile, Mr. Nicolás Eyzaguirre, at the Santiago Sheraton Hotel on 2-3 September. The Ministers' Meeting is preceded by a meeting of APEC Finance and Central Bank Deputies on August 31-September 1.

A joint Press Conference will be held at the Santiago Sheraton at 2:30PM on Friday, September 3.

The 10th APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting was held in Phuket, Thailand, in 2003.



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The 1st APEC Youth Leadership Camp for the Science Gifted, an APEC-Funded Project under the Industrial Science and Technology Working Group, took place in Busan, Korea from August 16th to 26th. Held at the Busan Science Academy the camp had the objective of enhancing human resources in APEC economies, reducing the technological gap between APEC countries, and promoting increased prosperity and progress within the APEC arena. The camp had a 10 day program that focused on helping some of the brightest minds from around the region navigate their way through the depths of science and technology by means of innovative, interactive, and challenging classes, field trips, group assignments, and cyber educational tools.

This camp brought students and educators from 10 different countries together under the objective of enhancing scientific knowledge and skills through new educational means using cyber education and creative on-site experiments. The camp consisted of three main groups; discovery, explorer, and fusion, from elementary school, middle school, and high school respectively. 272 students from Brunei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and the Republic of Korea, along with over 40 educators from Canada, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam and the aforementioned countries participated in the camp.

Each day of the camp had of a robust schedule, including field trips to places such as the Science and Engineering departments of Kyungnam University and Busan National University, the Medical Center of Dong-A University, Korean Air, Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction, the Yangsan natural dye factory, and the Naval Academy. The group activities included building solar boats (discovery and explorer group), solar cars (fusion group), and bridges (fusion group), with a solar boat and solar car race taking place on the last day of camp activities. The aim of the lectures and field trips was to help students approach the field of science and technology in an innovative and pro-active. Dr. Kwan Rim, Chairman of the Advanced Institute of Technology and one of the invited speakers said that this was intended to help the students become leaders in "surfing the wave of knowledge-driven change."

The young scientists participating in the camp were selected through preliminary national science camps and by recommendation from gifted education research institutes. These future leaders in the field of science and technology spent 10 days of not only learning scientific knowledge, but also of learning about the many questions and tasks that are left for them to resolve in the future, as scientists at the forefront of change and progress. By sharing ideas and working together, the participating students from the 10 APEC economies were not only able to enhance their scientific knowledge, but also their cultural and social knowledge, leading to the creation of invaluable trans-border friendships and networks. It is hoped that the APEC Youth Leadership Camp for the Science Gifted has opened up various new and lasting channels of communication for the future leaders of the Asia Pacific region.

It is now hoped that the camp will become an annual event serving as a forum to train future leaders and enhance cooperation among APEC economies.

Further details on the programs and activities of the camp, visit the official website for the 1st APEC Youth Leadership Camp for the Science Gifted at www.apeccamp.com.



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A meeting of Asia-Pacific government anti-corruption experts will discuss an 'APEC Course of Action' for fighting both government and corporate corruption when it meets in Santiago, Chile, on September 25-26.

The Course of Action will outline specific domestic measures to combat corruption and promote transparency by implementing transparency standards in APEC Member Economies.

Key topics for discussion at the meeting will be the development of public-private sector partnerships, measures for facilitating the implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. Issues will include the enforcement of new anti-corruption measures, including the denial of safe haven to corrupt officials, to those who corrupt them, and their assets.

To be inaugurated by the Chilean Minister of Justice, Hon. Luis Bates, the 'APEC Meeting of Government Anti-Corruption Experts' will be jointly co-chaired by Chile as the host of APEC 2004, together with Korea and the United States.

At the last APEC Leaders Meeting in Bangkok in 2003, Leaders cited corruption as a major obstacle to social and economic development and agreed to develop specific domestic actions to combat corruption in 2004.

As part of this directive the Santiago meeting will also identify options for engaging other international organizations to use their collective strategic strengths and expertise to work with APEC Member Economies to fight corruption.

Delegates to the APEC Meeting of Government Anti-Corruption Experts will include high level officials engaged in anti-corruption, law enforcement and public integrity.

The meeting will also be attended by representatives of the United Nations, the OECD, the Asian Development Bank, the Organization of American States and the APEC Business Advisory Council.

The APEC Meeting of Government Anti-Corruption Experts will take place at the Santiago Convention Centre, Espacio Riesco on September 25-26.



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A symposium of scientists, government representatives and farmers is taking place in Chinese Taipei this week to help prevent the spread of the Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata) throughout the Asia-Pacific.

Chair of the symposium, Dr Yin-Fu Chang said "crop damage caused by the Golden Apple Snail, which is the world's largest freshwater snail species, is costing regional agricultural producers billions of dollars in lost crops each year.

"The Golden Apple Snail was introduced from South America to the Asia-Pacific in the early 1980s to meet an anticipation of a boom in restaurant demand for escargot," Dr. Chang said.

"When the escargot market did not meet investors expectations the snails were released into waterways and now the snails are undermining regional agricultural output.

"The snails have brachial respiration system allowing them to breathe in air as well as under water and so are particularly menacing to cultivated rice fields. The snails eat the base of paddy seedlings and then consume the plant's aerial leaves and stems in three to five minutes."

Dr. Chang said the snails are able to reproduce rapidly and are difficult to control despite numerous and costly attempts.

"Golden Apple Snails are able to reproduce at a high rate with females laying around 500 new eggs each week. Attempts at control and eradication have varied. Fields in Chinese Taipei have been treated with tea seed cake powder in an effort to kill the snails, while nets and special traps placed at outlets in rice fields have been used to prevent entry. Other areas have used biological controls such as introducing catfish and Peking ducklings as natural predators.

"Participants at the Symposium will share information on control and eradication methods and formulate regional management strategies. Most importantly the symposium will construct an action plan to deal with the problem for the APEC Agricultural Technical Cooperation Working Group to implement."

The 'APEC Symposium on the Management of the Golden Apple Snail' is being held on September 6-11 at the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology in Chinese Taipei.

The symposium is part of ongoing efforts by the APEC Agricultural Technical Cooperation Working Group to increase regional capacity to detect, monitor and manage invasive plant pests in the Asia-Pacific.



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e-Security is one of the key issues on the agenda for government and private sector telecommunications and information technologies experts currently meeting in Singapore.

The 30th APEC Telecommunications and Information Technologies Working Group (APEC TEL) Meeting is taking place at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre this week until September 24.

APEC TEL Chair, Ms. Salma Jalife, said the meeting is an opportunity for delegates from around the region to enhance cross-border cooperation on international telecommunications and information technology issues.

"Protecting networks, safeguarding online transactions and strengthening wireless security are major issues for business and government as we work towards achieving a regional Information Society," Ms. Jalife said at the meeting.

"The only way we can ensure a secure environment is if APEC Member Economies work together to develop common standards and solutions. In this respect, it is essential to engage in capacity building efforts providing practical tools to address users concerns including those of the small and medium enterprises."

Ms. Jalife said the ongoing interaction between business, academic and government representatives at the meeting is bringing about greater clarity of joint cooperation required for a fully liberalized telecommunications sector in the region.

"The agenda for APEC TEL 30 includes several steering group meetings and workshops," Ms. Jalife said.

"One of the main aims at the meeting is to promote the deployment of advanced, secure and reliable telecommunications and information infrastructure. This includes looking at options to improving access to broadband services for rural and underserved urban areas."

"There is also a high level of interest in expanding efforts to develop principles for the application of standards and regulatory arrangements."

The APEC TEL has been meeting since 1990 to develop and implement common action plans and initiatives to strengthen regional information and communications infrastructures. APEC TEL gives special attention to sharing telecommunications and information technology related skills so as to increase employment opportunities in the digital economy.

The activities of the APEC TEL contribute to the central APEC goals of liberalizing trade and in investment in the Asia-Pacific by 2010 for industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies.



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Minister of Justice Luis Bates opened the first APEC Anti-Corruption Experts Group Meeting, and stated that the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum might become an example for the international community for its anti-corruption endeavor. The APEC Experts Meeting is the result of a proposal presented by Korea, the United States and Chile in June, that responds to the express directives of APEC Leaders and is aimed to fight corruption, which is considered to be a "major obstacle for economic and social development" and to "promote transparency through the implementation of general and specific transparency standards" (Bangkok Declaration, October 2003).

The Minister of Justice explained that "APEC may become an example for the international community if it can move forward in the implementation of these measures, as an Asia Pacific organization. A country's development is closely related to corruption: there is a relationship between poverty and corruption, a fact supported by researchers on the subject. Economic development relates to reducing corruption rates. It cannot be swept from the face of the earth, but it can be reduced".

The proposal presented by Korea, the United States and Chile, entitled "APEC Leaders' Commitment to Fighting Corruption and Ensuring Transparency" aims to trigger a course of action to ensure the implementation of measures against corruption, including the UN protocols.

"Laws implemented at international level must be complemented with prevention, control, and educational measures, among others. But aside from social control measures, I believe emphasis should be made in people's training, in the promotion of values (...). Both components are necessary: legislation and the promotion of ethics. These are medium- and long-term cultural changes.

In direct reference to domestic current events, Minister Bates indicated that "for instance, the UN Convention is addressing - for the first time - the matter of restituting public assets that have been appropriated and taken from the country to fiscal havens, where international systems to recover assets are not operational. Once ratified, the challenge will be to put them into practice."

China's Deputy Supervision Minister, Huang Shuxian, explained the initiatives adopted by China in the area of anti-corruption, which he referred to as very important for the establishment of adequate conditions for a market economy system. The Ambassador of the United States, Craig Kelly, noted that "we congratulate President Ricardo Lagos, Chair of APEC 2004, for his leadership in driving the commitment of the Leaders in Bangkok last year, by inviting APEC Economies to work jointly against corruption and to ensure transparency".

Mr. Euy-whan KIM, Director for International and NGOs Cooperation Div. of Korea's Independent Commission Against Corruption (KICAC), also made a presentation. The Anti-Corruption Experts hope to set the grounds for an APEC initiative on Anti-Corruption and Transparency in 2005, during Korea's pro-tempore Chairmanship of APEC



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Youth from disadvantaged areas in Santiago will benefit from a donation received from staff at the APEC Secretariat in Singapore. Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, Ambassador Mario Artaza, said the donation was part of an annual fund raising effort by the Secretariat's Social Committee to raise funds for a charity in each years' APEC host economy.

With Chile as the APEC Host Economy in 2004, the APEC Secretariat chose the Educational Centre Clotario Blest at the Fundación Cristo Vive, a manual skills training centre for underprivileged youth, to be the recipient of the donation.

Ambassador Artaza led a delegation of staff from the APEC Secretariat, including Deputy Executive Director, Ambassador Choi Seok Young, on a tour of the facilities and met the students. During the tour the Secretariat delegation presented a check for US$1,500 to an informal gathering of students in the school?s metalwork training room.

Speaking with the Executive Director of Fundación Cristo Vive, Fernando Massad, and students from the centre, Ambassador said the APEC Secretariat hoped the donation would "support the professional development of Chilean young people as they strive to build their skills and take new jobs in the workforce."

"Organizations such as APEC and Fundación Cristo Vive contribute to development through different ways. For APEC we look for the development of Member Economies through economic cooperation and facilitating regional trade and investment. Whereas the Fundación Cristo Vive promotes the social and human development of young people. Ultimately we both work to the same goals of the social and economic development of people in our community."

Ambassador Artaza said the Secretariat's 50 employees raising the donation highlights the human dimension of the APEC process. Through this staff contribution the Secretariat is hoping to not only assist with improving the facilities of the centre, but also to highlight the important contribution made by individual charities in the region. In the 2003 APEC year hosted by Thailand APEC Secretariat staff made a similar contribution a children's orphanage.

The Fundación Cristo Vive institution provides education and training to create opportunities for around 600 young people each year. The courses offered by the foundation run for ten months in duration and include skill areas such as electrical systems training, metal work, carpentry and gardening.

The Fundación Cristo Vive website is: www.fundacioncristovive.cl



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Chile's Minister for Economy and Chairman of the SME Ministerial Meeting, Mr. Jorge Rodriguez, has addressed the APEC Meeting of Micro Enterprises Sub Group in Chile.

The meeting was taking place as part of the series of events planned in preparation for the 11th APEC Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Ministerial Meeting in Santiago on October 6-7.

In his address to the meeting of representatives from APEC Member Economies and other regional forums, Minister Rodriguez discussed concerns faced by SMEs and micro enterprises in the Asia-Pacific region.

A video and audio webcast of Minister Jorge Rodriguez's address is available:

Video Webcast (WMV - 1400 KB)

Audio Webcast (WMA - 444 KB)

Other SME Related meetings taking place in the following days in the lead up to the 11th APEC SME Ministerial Meeting and Related Meetings include:

Meeting of Micro Enterprises Sub Group, October 2

Meeting of SMEWG - October 3-4

Agri-Food Fair - October 3-5

APEC SME Forum - October 4-5

APEC Entrepreneurship Symposium - October 4-5

11th APEC SME Ministerial Meeting - October 6-7



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"Singapore should be congratulated for its considerable achievements since 1996 towards achieving the APEC Bogor goals" is how an independent expert has summed up Singapore's pursuit of APEC free trade and investment goals.

The report went on to describe Singapore as a "model APEC citizen" in the implementation of its individual plan (IAP) and collective action plans (CAPs) to achieve its APEC goals. IAPs and CAPs serve as a roadmap for APEC economies to achieve the Bogor Goals of free and open trade and investment in the APEC region. These Goals were established at a meeting of APEC Leaders in Bogor, Indonesia, in 1995.

In his conclusion, the report's author, Mr. Chen Wenjing, said Singapore set an example for others as it aimed to achieve its APEC goals in 2010 which is ten years ahead of schedule.

"Singapore has been fully implementing its WTO commitments and actively participating in the process of achieving free and open trade in the APEC region. In the area of trade in goods, Singapore maintains a very liberal regime, with 99.9% of the tariff lines entering Singapore duty free.

"Singapore remains relatively free of trade barriers and does not make use of non-tariff measures inconsistent with the WTO agreements. The non-tariff measures are applied mainly for public health, safety, security and the environment, or for fulfilling international obligations."

Mr. Chen also drew attention to Singapore's efforts to deal with the challenges posed by globalization.

"Singapore faces major domestic and external challenges in the changed world," Mr. Chen said in the report.

"In response to the challenges and to remain a dynamic economy, immediate measures and long term strategies have been and are being undertaken to cope with uncertainties and reposition the economy to be a leading global city and a hub of talent, by lowering cost, training people, reforming tax regime, restructuring economy, giving a full play in 'twin growth engines' of manufacture and services, and expanding external ties."

Summaries of each of the thirteen areas of assessment are now available on the APEC website. The full report will also be available on the APEC website once it has been presented to APEC Senior Officials in Santiago, Chile, on October 4.

Two APEC Member Economies, Singapore and Chinese Taipei, are having their IAPs' reviewed at the current round of APEC meetings in Chile. This process involves a presentation by the Independent Expert to a meeting of Member Economies followed by an opportunity for these economies to question the economy under review on the details of their IAP. The review of Singapore's IAP took place in Santiago today.

The independent expert who oversaw the preparation of the report, Mr. Chen Wenjing, is the Senior Economist and Vice President of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.



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An independent report has cited Chinese Taipei's policies for the use of information technology to facilitate trade as being amongst the best in the APEC Region.

The report on Chinese Taipei's progress towards meeting it's APEC Free Trade and Investment Goals also notes impressive gains in cleaning up and restructuring the financial industry and improvements in intellectual property protection.

The observations were made as part of an independent review of Chinese Taipei's Individual Action Plan (IAP). The IAPs serve as a roadmap for APEC economies to achieve the Bogor Goals of free and open trade and investment in the APEC region.

The author of the report, Associate Professor Simon SC Tay, from the National University of Singapore praised efforts by Chinese Taipei to utilize information technology to improve trading efficiencies and increase transparency.

"Indeed, there are areas in which the policies and practices of Chinese Taipei are among the best in APEC," Associate Professor Tay said in the report.

"These include the efforts that Chinese Taipei has made to use information technology to facilitate trade and economic activity. The transparency of trade rules has increased, as has efficiency in import and export clearance procedures. Transaction costs have been reduced, especially for the smaller and medium sized companies.

"In these and some other notable areas, there may be experiences and practices that would be helpful to be shared with other APEC members. Indeed, authorities in Chinese Taipei have evinced a willingness to share such experiences and know-how with other APEC Member Economies, especially the developing ones."

"Thus situated, Chinese Taipei's experiences in economic liberalization may be of particular interest to APEC member economies. Some assistance and example to the developing countries may be drawn for their next steps forward, as they consider policy reform towards the APEC Bogor goals."

Associate Professor Tay also highlighted Chinese Taipei's record on intellectual property protection and the benefit this focus has on building economic capacity.

"Intellectual property protection has traditionally been a point of contention and criticism of domestic policy and enforcement in Chinese Taipei," Associate Professor Tay said.

"However, intellectual property is increasingly recognized as an important foundation for Chinese Taipei as it builds a knowledge-based economy and society.

"It is also a crucial factor in attracting investment in key business sectors. While legislation and enforcement have been improving, it is also important to deter infringement by handing down meaningful punishments to IP violators. In addition, Chinese Taipei needs to cultivate greater public awareness of the link between IP protection and domestic economic strength needs attention. Piracy, patent violations, counterfeit materials and illegal imports of patented products all remain problems to be further addressed."

Associate Professor Tay also commented on Chinese Taipei's reforms in the financial industry and noted areas of possible further improvement. 
"Chinese Taipei has made impressive gains in cleaning up and restructuring the financial industry, including decreasing the non-performing loan ratio of domestic banks," Professor Tay said.

"Several priorities need continued policy attention. These include more liberalized capital controls, reformed bankruptcy and reorganization laws, continued clean-up of non-performing loans, refunding of the Financial Restructuring Fund, and consolidation of policy-making and regulatory functions under the Ministry of Finance.

Summaries of each of the thirteen areas of assessment are now available on the APEC website. The full report will also be available on the APEC website once it has been presented to APEC Senior Officials in Santiago, Chile, on October 4.

Two APEC Member Economies, Chinese Taipei and Singapore, are having their IAPs' reviewed at the current round of APEC meetings in Chile. This process involves a presentation by the Independent Expert to a meeting of Member Economies followed by an opportunity for these economies to question the economy under review on the details of their IAP. The review of Chinese Taipei's IAP took place in Santiago today.



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APEC Executive Director, Ambassador Mario Artaza, and Chair of the Small and Medium Enterprises Working Group, Francisco Troncoso, delivered opening remarks to the APEC Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Ministers' Meeting in Santiago.

The two-day meeting of APEC SME Ministers concludes on Thursday, October 7.

The opening remarks are available via audio webcast and the text of Ambassador Artaza's speech is available in PDFformat.

Ambassador Artaza's Remarks:



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Chair of APEC Senior Officials Meetings for 2004, Ricardo Lagos, provided APEC SME Ministers with a summary of the current themes and issues on the Chile APEC Year.

The two day APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Minister's Meeting is taking place in Santiago on October 6-7.

Mr. Lagos' remarks are available via video or audio webcast:

[https://www] 
Video Broadband

Video 56Kbps

Audio 56Kbps



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Ministers Responsible for Trade from APEC Member Economies will meet in Chile on June 4-5 to discuss major issues affecting the global economy.

This will be the 10th meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade and will follow on from the last meeting in Khon Kaen, Thailand, in 2003.

Key issues to be addressed at the Pucón meeting include APEC support to reinvigorate the World Trade Organization Doha Development Agenda negotiation process, trade related security issues and the relevance of Free Trade Agreements and Regional Trade Agreements (FTAs/RTAs) in the APEC process.

APEC recognizes the importance of reinvigorating the current WTO round. As a forum of economies representing around half the world's trade and 60% of global GDP, APEC recognizes that it has a particularly important role to play in this process.

On the issue of trade security, the capacity of all APEC Member Economies to implement security measures is an important issue for the APEC process. Recent meetings of the Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Conference and the APEC Counter Terrorism Task Force have produced recommendations for ministers to consider in this area.

The expansion of FTAs/RTAs agreed by APEC Member Economies has led to substantial discussion on how these relate to APEC's free trade and investment goals. At the direction of APEC Leaders in 2003, a policy dialogue on FTAs/RTAs is taking place in Pucón on May 30. The results of this dialogue will be presented to ministers for consideration.

Media intending to cover the Meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade are reminded to register at the APEC Chile 2004 Website before they arrive in Pucón: http://registration.apec2004.cl/



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An independent assessment has found that the United States is on track to achieve the free trade and investment goals set by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. The report concluded that measures introduced to fight terrorism have not hindered trade.

The assessment came as part of an independent review of the United States' Individual Action Plan. Individual Action Plans serve as roadmaps for APEC members to achieve the goals of free and open trade and investment in the APEC region, which they agreed in Bogor, Indonesia, in 1994. The target for achieving the Bogor Goals is 2010 for industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies.

The independent expert in charge of the review, Dr. Armando Caceres, Principal Researcher at the Group of Analysis for Development in Peru, prepared a report that documented that the US is well on its way to meeting the Bogor Goals in the thirteen areas under review. The key to US progress toward free and open trade and investment was the transparency and accountability of its economic system; strong regulatory review and reform tools, incorporation of information technology developments to promote trade facilitation; government relations with the business community; and leadership in free trade and investment initiatives at multilateral, regional, and bilateral fora.

"While there was the possibility that measures relating to the ongoing terrorist threat could affect US progress towards the Bogor Goals, this has not been the case," Dr. Caceres said, referring to regulatory measures United States adopted since September 11, 2001 as part of its counter-terrorism efforts.

"The US response to the terrorist threat has been consistent with the objectives of free trade and investment. Innovative projects such as the Automated Commercial Environment project and other reforms to use technology to ensure efficient and safe border processing continue to receive strong support from the US Government."

Dr. Caceres' research found that, as the United States is on track to meeting its objectives early, it has been able to focus its efforts on supporting multilateral and bilateral efforts to achieve free trade and investment goals across the Asia-Pacific region.

"The US is now engaged in active bilateral and regional negotiations to extend the model FTAs (Free Trade Agreements) negotiated with Chile and Singapore," Dr. Caceres said.

"This approach is consistent with (APEC's 2003) Bangkok Declaration that proposed advancing towards free trade in a coordinated manner using multilateral, regional, and bilateral frameworks. Along these lines, the US Enterprise for ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Initiative aims to establish a network of mutually reinforcing bilateral FTAs among the ASEAN economies."

Summaries on each of the thirteen areas of the US trade and investment regime covered by the assessment are available by clicking here. The full report will be available on the APEC website once it has been presented to APEC Senior Officials in Pucón, Chile, on June 1.

Four APEC Member Economies are having their Individual Action Plans reviewed at the current round of APEC meetings in Chile. This process involves a presentation by the Independent Expert to a meeting of Member Economies followed by an opportunity for these economies to question the economy under review on the details of their Individual Action Plan. The review of the United States' Individual Action Plan took place in Pucón this afternoon.



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Energy Ministers from APEC Member Economies will meet in Manila on June 10 to address essential issues for the energy industry including initiatives to protect the sector from terrorist attack.

This will be the sixth meeting of APEC Energy Ministers and will follow on from the last meeting in Mexico City in 2002.

At this meeting one of the most important issues on the agenda for Ministers is the APEC Energy Security Initiative (ESI). To be implemented by APEC Member Economies, the APEC Energy Security Initiative comprises a range of measures being developed to protect energy supplies from disruption. This includes short-term disruptions caused by natural and man-made events and long term policy supply issues.

The APEC Energy Security Initiative was first endorsed by APEC Leaders in Shanghai in 2001. At their meeting in Bangkok in October 2003, APEC Leaders agreed to "accelerate the implementation of the ESI by endorsing its Implementation Plan and, as appropriate, a new Action Plan to enhance regional and global energy security".

Other issues to be addressed by APEC Energy Ministers include:

The APEC region's energy outlook

Responses to regional energy security challenges

Facilitating energy investment

Increasing energy efficiency and the range of energy choices

Technical innovation in the energy sector



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An independent report has cited Chile's progress towards achieving its APEC goals as a leading example for other economies to follow that will serve to raise living standards around the Asia-Pacific region.

The assessment came as part of an independent review of Chile's Individual Action Plan (IAP) which serves as a roadmap for APEC economies to achieve the goals of free and open trade and investment in the APEC region. Agreed in Bogor, Indonesia, in 1994, the target for achieving the Bogor Goals is 2010 for industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies.

The Independent Expert who prepared the report, Dr. Sangkyom Kim, the Director of the Korea National Center for APEC Studies, said the decision by Chile to reach its Bogor Goals ten years early will have positive results for Chileans and people in other economies.

"Chile's commitment to achieve the Bogor Goals by 2010 will enhance efficiencies in other APEC Member Economies," Dr. Kim said.

"This will eventually help foster economic growth, improve living standards and create higher income levels in the APEC region by reducing and eliminating existing barriers to trade and investment.

"Even though Chile, as a developing economy, is tasked with reaching the Bogor Goals by 2020, the fact that it has committed to do so by 2010 reinforces its strong belief in openness."

The report noted Chile's efforts to contribute to a global free trading environment through several paths as a positive strategy.

"Chile has successfully demonstrated a leading role in pursuing trade liberalization and facilitation in the APEC region," Dr. Kim said.

"The Chilean approach to achieving the Bogor goals is through a policy of unilateral liberalization combined with attention to bilateral and regional preferential trade arrangements to accelerate regional cooperation.

"Chile continues to actively engage in a unilateral policy of openness while at the same time showing its willingness to discuss the feasibility of concluding FTAs with every relevant trade partner."

Final summaries on each of the thirteen areas of assessment are now available on the APEC website (www.apec.org).

The full report will be available on the APEC website once it has been presented to APEC Senior Officials in Pucón, Chile, on June 2.

Four APEC Member Economies are having their IAPs' reviewed at the current round of APEC meetings in Chile. This process involves a presentation by the Independent Expert to a meeting of Member Economies followed by an opportunity for these economies to question the economy under review on the details of their IAP. The review of Chile's IAP took place in Pucón this afternoon.



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An independent report into Peru's progress towards achieving its APEC free trade and investment goals has been welcomed by APEC Member Economies meeting in Pucón.

The independent review of Peru's Individual Action Plan (IAP) noted the high level of support shown by Peru for initiatives and programs that are part of the APEC process.

IAPs serve as a roadmap for APEC Member Economies to achieve the goals of free and open trade and investment in the APEC region. Agreed in Bogor, Indonesia, in 1994, the target for achieving these Bogor Goals is 2010 for industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies.

Prepared by the Independent Expert nominated by APEC, Dr. Mignonne M.J. Chan, the Director of the Division of International Affairs at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, the report noted substantial steps taken by Peru since joining APEC in 1998.

In her report, Dr. Chan also highlighted the value of ongoing capacity building projects to further liberalize Peru's trade and investment regime.

"Peru, as a member of the APEC community, has played its part in advancing the Bogor Goals with its commitment to continually open its economy," Dr. Chan said.

"While continuing negotiations on all fronts, Peru is undertaking unilateral actions not only to comply with its commitments to its trading partners but also to promote domestic growth and social welfare. We look forward to Peru's further progress and welcome ideas for technical cooperation initiatives to address specific areas."

"Peru has made remarkable progress in abiding by directives and statements from APEC Leaders and Ministers," Dr. Chan said.

"While recognizing the importance of national security, Peru has also adopted the APEC Principles on Trade Facilitation, and joined the APEC Business Travel Card Schemes. This is consistent with capacity-building efforts promoted by APEC."

The report also noted the openness of Peru's transparent services sector in which there are few limitations on market access and also a number of notable achievements in the financial, telecommunications and tourism sectors.

Summaries on each of the thirteen areas of assessment are now available on the e-IAP website (www.apec-iap.org). The full report will be available on the e-IAP website once it has been presented to APEC Senior Officials in Pucón, Chile, on June 2.

Four APEC Member Economies are having their IAPs' reviewed at the current round of APEC meetings in Chile. This process involves a presentation by the Independent Expert to a meeting of Member Economies followed by an opportunity for these economies to question the economy under review on the details of their IAP. The review of Peru's IAP took place in Pucón this afternoon.

Ambassador Capunay led Peru's delegation of trade officials who highlighted the contribution Peru had made to achieve the Bogor Goals through increased transparency, competitiveness and strong economic policies.



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Hong Kong, China is hosting an "APEC Government Roundtable on Measures to Secure Trade" on 1-4 June for officials and experts of APEC economies.

The Roundtable will provide a forum of APEC economies to share experiences and best practices on enhanced secured measures relevant to trade and mobility of travelers.

It is anticipated that the Roundtable will allow APEC economies to exchange views and increase participants' understanding on how different facets of measures on secure trade can be implemented in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. It will also provide an opportunity for officials and experts to see the latest technology and know-how of counter-terrorism measures.

The Roundtable will consist of two parts:

The "AirPort Security Expo Asia 04" on 1-2 June which includes a Symposium on "Enhancing the effectiveness of Aviation Security- Strategies to meet the challenges" on 1 June and the Maritime Security Seminar on 2 June

A two-day presentation and discussion on 3-4 June 2004 on various aspects of measures on secure trade adopted by Hong Kong, including anti-illegal immigration, sea cargo security, anti-terrorist financing and cyber security. An onsite tour will also be arranged to familiarize participants with actual operations at the airport and a container terminal.

12 APEC Member Economies are participating in the Roundtable: Australia, Canada, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States.



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An independent APEC Report has cited China's strong commitment to economic reforms in order to meet WTO and APEC goals.

The report also highlights major trade and investment policy initiatives progressed by China. These include efforts to build and refine the legal infrastructure covering trade and investment, attempts to improve transparency and efforts to eliminate non-tariff measures.

These observations are part of an independent review of China's Individual Action Plan (IAP), which serves as a roadmap for APEC economies to achieve the goals of free and open trade and investment in the APEC region. Agreed in Bogor, Indonesia, in 1994, the target for achieving the Bogor Goals is 2010 for industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies.

While noting that reform is an evolutionary process, the Independent Expert who prepared the report, Dr. Hank Lim from Singapore Institute of International Affairs commended the political support for reform in China.

"The highest Chinese political leadership has clearly reaffirmed its strong commitment to reform its economy based on WTO and voluntary APEC commitments," Dr. Lim said.

"China has made remarkable progress in liberalizing, regulating and restructuring its economy to be more transparent and competitive, especially since its WTO accession.

"However, it will take time to fully implement the administrative, judiciary and institutional changes.

"China's economic reform accomplishments are remarkable and historic, especially as it also must balance the many other political, economic and social challenges it faces.

"China has performed well on its principal commitments to the WTO, especially in the area of tariff reductions, the gradual phase-out of Non-Tariff Measures and in the liberalization of service sectors.

"The accession of China to the WTO has greatly accelerated the progress of liberalization and deregulation as China's economy transforms itself from a planned socialist economy to a socialist market economy."

The report notes the strong commitment by the Chinese Government to pursue reforms in the judiciary and law enforcement agencies, as strong enforcement is critical for market forces to quickly take hold.

"High priority has been given to the establishment of independent courts and the appointment of high caliber judges and prosecutors to make the application and execution of laws fair, transparent and effective."

Summaries of each of the thirteen areas of assessment are now available on the APEC website (www.apec.org). The full report will be available on the APEC website once it has been presented to APEC Senior Officials in Pucón, Chile, on June 3.

Four APEC Member Economies are having their IAPs' reviewed at the current round of APEC meetings in Chile. This process involves a presentation by the Independent Expert to a meeting of Member Economies followed by an opportunity for these economies to question the economy under review on the details of their IAP. The review of China's IAP took place in Pucón on Monday.



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As part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers' process, the Working Group on Alternative Remittance Systems (ARS) will be holding a symposium entitled "Shaping the Remittances Market by Shifting to Formal Systems." The symposium is being held at the Asian Development Bank Institute in Tokyo, Japan on June 3-4, 2004.

This unique event is co-sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Finance, the Word Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

This symposium will bring together key stakeholders to discuss opportunities and innovations in the cross-border remittance industry and share experiences from all over the world on successful ways to strengthen remittance channels and create market incentives for customers to shift from informal to formal financial systems.

The symposium will feature panel discussions on how to effect a shift from using informal systems to formal systems. The sessions will focus on ways to balance regulations and market incentives in the formal financial sector, explore the need to expand access to financial services in sending and receiving countries and consider how innovative technology can be used to establish new products to generate competition among formal service providers.

The symposium will also seek ways to maximize the development impact of remittances in receiving countries. Underlying these discussions are how governments, private sector and civil society can work together in this process.

The symposium participation will be composed of a wide array of policymakers, academics, private banks and money transfer businesses, and NGOs and microfinance institutions from countries such as the U.S., Mexico, the Philippines, Japan, India, Egypt, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Along with the panel discussions, participants will take advantage of the opportunity to discuss common goals and strategies in the remittance industry, as well as network and build contacts to achieve those goals through "kaizens." (1)

While over $90 billion in recorded remittances were sent last year globally, unrecorded remittances through the informal financial systems can be significant as well(2). Alternative or informal remittance systems can provide critical financial services to migrant worker populations that are disenfranchised from mainstream financial institutions. These systems, furthermore, operate in environments where formal financial systems are underdeveloped or non-existent.

Experience suggests that by strengthening formal financial systems and encouraging remitters to shift towards using formal channels through market incentives, senders and receivers of remittances both will be better served by accessing formal financial services. These provide additional mainstream financial services, and allow for additional safe mechanisms to send money.

By understanding the impediment to using the formal financial systems, policymakers and the private sector can work to overcome these impediments and seek to encourage wider access to and use of financial services.

The APEC Alternative Remittance System (ARS) Initiative was launched in September 2002 by the APEC ARS Working Group - co-chaired by Japan, Singapore, Thailand and the United States - to examine the economic and regulatory factors for using informal remittance services through technical research with the support of the World Bank. (3)

This research forms the basis for this symposium and brings together key stakeholders to seek ways to create the right market conditions to allow remittances to be sent through formal channels.



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APEC Trade Ministers have reached a consensus to provide support to unlock the Doha Development Agenda (DDA), of the World Trade Organization. Details of this consensus will be released in a declaration by Ministers at the conclusion of their current two day series of meetings on Saturday.

Taking place in Pucón, in Southern Chile, this 10th Meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade was attended by ministers and representatives of APEC's 21 Member Economies and the WTO Director General, Supachai Panitchpakdi.

Chile's Foreign Minister, Ms. Soledad Alvear, who is also Chair of the meeting, said APEC Member Economies will work collectively to progress WTO negotiations.

"We have reached agreement on a Ministerial statement of political support to provide momentum to the Doha Development Agenda," Minister Alvear said.

"This is intended to send a powerful signal to negotiators at the WTO."

The importance of APEC´s contribution for progressing the DDA negotiations was conveyed to Ministers by Chile's Ambassador to the WTO, Alejandro Jara.

"After the failure of Cancún, negotiations in Geneva have attempted to re-launch talks, now we are in a critical position that requires broad support and political endorsement," Ambassador Jara said.

"APEC Member Economies are in a strong position to send a message of endorsement and call for flexibility of the various positions so that negotiations may continue."

The central issue discussed at the morning session of the Meeting of Ministers' Responsible for Trade was support for the multilateral trading system. In the afternoon session, the areas of trade security and the Inclusion in the Bilateral and Regional Free Trade Agreements in the APEC Agenda were discussed.

The Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade will conclude tomorrow with a statement of the Chair including the issues addressed on general free trade and investment issues together with the ministerial statement in support of the DDA round of WTO negotiations.

In the plenary sessions intended for the concluding day of the meeting, ministers are intending to discuss a range of trade and social development issues. These will include significant new APEC Transparency Standards for government procurement, the ongoing problem of digital piracy, reports on progress by individual member economies in reaching the Bogor Goals and APEC technical and economic Cooperation.

The importance of the grouping of APEC members in the WTO is significant with APEC Member Economies representing around half of the world's trade and 60% of Global GDP.



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Following two days of meetings, the 10th Meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade has concluded in Pucón, Chile.

Ministers this afternoon released the Statement of the Chair and a separate Ministerial Statement on Doha Development Agenda (DDA) Negotiations.

An audio webcast of the News Conference held following the conclusion of the meeting is now available.

The Webcast features comments from:

Mrs. Maria Soledad Alvear, Minister of Foreign Affairs - Chile

Ambassador Robert E. Zoellick, Trade Representative - United States

Mr. Shoichi Nakagawa, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry - Japan

Hon. Mark Vaile, Minister for Trade - Australia

Mr. Bo Xilai, Minister of Commerce - China

Mr. George Yeo Yong-Boon, Minister for Trade and Industry - Singapore

Mr. Hwang Doo-Yun, Minister of Trade - Korea

Dato' Seri Rafidah Aziz, Minister of International Trade and Industry - Malaysia

The Statement of the Chair covers the following areas of ministerial discussion:

Strengthening the Multilateral Trading System - APEC support to the WTO process

Trade and Security

Free Trade Agreements and Regional Trade Arrangements (FTAs/RTAs)

Trade and Investment Liberalization and Facilitation

Economic and Technical Cooperation

Preparations for the Mid Term Stock-take of the Bogor Goals

Interaction with the Business Community



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Sharing modern technology to increase agricultural production, farm incomes, and rural well-being in member economies is the focus of an APEC Working Group Meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from June 15 to 18.

The 8th Plenary Meeting of the APEC Agricultural Technical Cooperation Work Group (ATCWG) will bring together government agricultural officials, scientists and experts for a series of sessions aimed at strengthening agricultural technical cooperation.

Chair of the Meeting and Director of the Korea Rural Economic Institute, Dr. Se-Ik OH, said the meeting will progress work in seven priority areas and approve the ATCWG's ongoing work plan.

The seven priority areas being discussed at the meeting are:

Conservation and Utilization of Plant and Animal Genetic Resources

Research, Development and the Extension of Agricultural Biotechnology

Production, Processing, Marketing, Distribution and Consumption of Agricultural Products

Plant and Animal Quarantine and Pest Management

Cooperative Development of an Agricultural Finance System

Agricultural Technology Transfer and Training

Sustainable Agriculture and Related Environmental Issues

Besides these items, the Group is set to discuss the APEC Food System, Quality Assessment Frameworks for project proposals, cooperation with the Electronic Commerce Steering Group (ECSG) to implement electronic SPS certification and a High-level Policy Dialogue on Agriculture.



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Sustainable development in the mining sector is a major theme of the first Meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Mining beginning today in Chile. Being held in Santiago, and the northern centres of Antofagasta and Calama, the Mining Ministers' Meeting will also address issues relating to the liberalization of trade in the mining sector.

On the issue of sustainable development, Ministers will consider ongoing developments in facilitating cleaner and more efficient mining activities. A productive mining sector that looks to long-term economic, environmental and social impacts is essential for APEC Member Economies, be these net producers or net consumers.

The ongoing expansion of sustainable mining practices and legacy issues, including the rehabilitation of mining sites will be discussed, and ways looked at to develop these issues through capacity building activities between member economies. Ministers will be presented with a number of options for consideration.

The other key issues for ministers will be the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment in the mining sector.

Ministers will look at future options for strengthening the mining sector by reducing tariff and non-tariff obstacles to free trade in mining products and facilitating greater investment in the mining industry.

Beginning with the first day of meetings today with Chile's Minister for Mining, Alfonso Dulanto, and bilateral discussions, Ministers are traveling to Antofagasta in the evening.

On June 16 Ministers will meet in a joint plenary session to discuss the key issues of the meeting and hold a press conference.

On June 17 Ministers will travel to the city of Calama and tour the expansive open-pit Chuquicamata copper mine where the Ministers' Declaration will be read.

APEC Member Economies are significant producers and consumers of minerals and metals. The APEC region produces 64% or the world's gold, 50% of bauxite, 66% or nickel, 82% of copper and 75% of zinc. Consumption is expected to reach 64% of gold, 66% of nickel, 64.3% of copper and 75% of zinc by 2005.



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An expert on sustainable development issues has called on APEC Mining Ministers meeting in Chile to be more proactive in demonstrating benefits the mining industry offers for environmental protection and assisting the poor.

In his report on "Mining, Minerals and Human Welfare: The Tasks Ahead," Luke Danielson, of the Colorado-based Domani consulting firm, said the mining industry can create benefits for greater environmental and social wellbeing through the considered use and disposal of the products it produces.

"There are hundreds of millions of people without access to a minimum amount of electricity to serve sustenance, educational and information needs," Mr. Danielson said.

"We share an obligation and a commitment, expressed in Rio, Johannesburg and Antofagasta, to meet these needs. There is no way to meet these needs without copper for wires, lead for batteries, steel for turbine blades, or aluminum for wind machines.

"We must find ways to more efficiently get these products into the hands of those who need them so they can improve human welfare."

Mr. Danielson also said there are also environmental concerns at what happens to mineral concentrates used in consumer products if the used product is been disposed of improperly.

"We need a stronger concept of materials stewardship to know where the materials we produce are going, and what is being done with them," Mr. Danielson said.

"It is important to educate consumers about how to use and properly dispose of products before they become an issue for environment agencies."

Mr. Danielson said the solutions to these and other challenges have to be met through partnership.

"It must be recognized by all parties that achieving sustainable development on a global or local level is a shared task.

"No one succeeds without working in partnership and it is important for the mining and minerals industries to be able to contribute effectively to the environmental and social agenda the world has set for itself.

"Business is fundamentally about meeting human needs. The more industry meets human needs and the better it meets them, the more value it creates. The mining industry must be systematic and scientific in demonstrating benefits and efforts to prevent negative impacts."

The full report from Mr. Danielson is available on the APEC Website.

The First Meeting of APEC Mining Ministers is taking place over three days in the cities of Santiago, Antofagasta and Calama. Ministers concluded formal discussions in Antofagasta today and on Thursday will undertake technical visits to mining facilities around Calama including the Chuquicamata copper mine where the Ministers Declaration will be delivered.



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Singapore has joined 15 other APEC Member Economies in the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Program. Travelers issued with ABTCs will be able to use express immigration lanes and enjoy greater travel flexibility amongst participating APEC member economies. The length of stay without a visa in Singapore is at least 60 days.

The Chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council, Hernan Somerville, welcomed Singapore's participation in the scheme.

"It is great to see Singapore becoming a member of the APEC Business Travel Card Program," Mr. Somerville said.

"I use the card for travel in the Asia-Pacific and it makes travel so much easier. After a long flight it is very welcoming to arrive at an airport and use the express APEC immigration lane.¨

"I look forward to arriving in Singapore when the system will be operational."

The Singapore Government will be separately announcing the date of launch of the ABTC in Singapore.

APEC Business Travel Cards are issued by the governments of participating economies and the program is overseen by the APEC Informal Experts' Group on Business Mobility.

Participating Members of the APEC Business Travel Card Program:

Australia

Brunei Darussalam

Chile

China

Hong Kong, China

Indonesia

Japan

Korea

Malaysia

New Zealand

Papua New Guinea

Peru

The Philippines

Singapore

Chinese Taipei

Thailand

Additional details on the ABTC are available at the Business Mobility Group Website.



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El ministro chileno de minería, Alfonso Dulante, ofreció una conferencia de prensa al concluir el segundo día de la Reunión de Ministros Responsables de Minería de APEC en Antofagasta, Chile. En la Conferencia de Prensa hablaron el ministro Dulanto y el ministro de Minería de Perú, Jaime Quijandria Salmon. (En Español)

[https://www]  Preguntas dirigidas al ministro Dulanto

[https://www]  Pregunta dirigida al ministro Jaime Quijandria Salmon



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This Joint Ministerial Statement was delivered by Alfonso Dulanto, Chair of the Ministerial Meeting and Minister of Mining for the Republic of Chile. The statement was read before APEC Ministers Responsible for Mining in a ceremony beside the Chuquicamata Copper Mine.*

[https://www]Alfonso Dulanto, Minister of Mining, Chile 

*Please note, due to a technical error, points 3 and 4 could not be recorded at the event. The text from these two points is posted below.

3. We confirmed that the development of the mining and metals industry has great importance in promoting employment and economic growth.

4. We acknowledged that this meeting was a great opportunity to give minerals and metals in APEC a new impetus and to discuss the challenges that face a key productive activity for the development of APEC economies and the world, at the highest level.



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APEC Mining Ministers have concluded their meeting with a joint statement promoting greater sustainable development in the mining sector and culture of harmony with local communities, calls for further liberalization of mineral trade and concern over new European Union Legislation on Chemicals.

In their Joint Ministerial Statement, APEC Ministers Responsible for Mining agreed that socially responsible development in the mining and metals industry produces positive results for social development, wealth creation and the environment.

"We recognized the importance and the need for promoting a cleaner and more efficient production, building on the significant efforts being made by the industry globally to address the environmental, economic and social impacts and benefits of minerals and metals," Ministers Stated in their Joint Statement.

Ministers also noted the "need of promoting a culture of harmony between the mining industry and local populations influenced by mining operations. This concept should be based on a continued dialogue, the respect for local institutions and authorities and a shared understanding of sustainable development aimed to encourage opportunities for human development beyond the mining activities in the long run."

On the issue of increased Trade and Investment Liberalization and Facilitation, Ministers agreed to identify the tariff and non tariff related issues for minerals and metals that fall within the APEC context.

"We recognized the importance of the mining and metals industry to APEC economies development goals and the need to understand the supply and demand outlook for minerals and metals, and the ability of this industry to meet this demand," Ministers stated.

Ministers also expressed concern over an issue that has received attention in other APEC Fora, the proposed European Union regulation on Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH).

"We agreed to express our concern to the European Union (EU) over possible EU trade restrictions imposed on minerals and metals by the proposed New Chemicals Policy (REACH). The proposed policy is not commensurate with the scale of the problem, particularly with respect to the potential impact on the mining and metals industry, and would impose unnecessary costs."

During this first ever APEC Mining Ministers' Meeting, Ministers traveled from Santiago to Chile's northern mining areas of Antofagasta and Calama. The Joint Ministerial Statement was delivered beside the Chuquicamata copper mine, the world's largest open-pit mine that is 4 kilometers long and 850 meters deep.

The Joint Ministerial Statement is now available on the APEC Website.



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APEC Member economies have agreed to strengthen biosecurity planning and surveillance capacity in the agricultural sector at a meeting of APEC's Agricultural Technical Cooperation Working Group (ATCWG) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, this week.

Acting on a proposal from Malaysia, the ATC Working Group has agreed to develop the new measures through a series of regional workshops on bio-security planning and surveillance for plant pests.

The Chair of the ATC Working Group and Director of the Korea Rural Economic Institute, Dr. Se-Ik Oh, said the damage inflicted upon the poultry industry by the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza demonstrates the need for increased biosecurity planning and surveillance capacity.

"Enhancing the capacity of economies to respond to outbreaks of diseases such as Avian Influenza will have significant economic benefits for the region," Dr. Oh said at the conclusion of the ATC Working Group Meeting.

"The agricultural sector must be prepared for worst case scenarios in order to protect our crops and wildlife.

"The new biosecurity planning and surveillance capacity measures are intended to ensure the agricultural sector can attempt to avert disasters and recover quickly after any threat has passed.

"The ATC Working Group is intending to hold the first workshop on Risk Assessment, Management and Emergency Issues in Agricultural Biotechnology in Korea in November 2004."

Dr. Oh congratulated organizers of the meeting in Chiang Mai and said Thailand is certainly a world class venue for meetings.

"Thailand's excellent arrangements for hosting this APEC meeting were instrumental to its successful outcome."

Other initiatives supported by the 8th Plenary Meeting of ATC Working Group meeting from June 15-18 included facilitating trade in agricultural products through the use of electronic health and quarantine certificates and building networks to transfer agricultural technology, particularly to developing economies.

The next full ATC Working Group meeting will take place in June 2005 in Korea.

An important objective of the ATC Working Group is to assist agricultural producers, both large and small, around the APEC Region to enhance their efficiency. The ATC Working Group is providing a high level of support to assist small and medium enterprises increase exports of fresh fruit and vegetables by enhanced supply chain management.

Further information about the ATC Working Group can be found on the APEC Website.



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A range of targeted publications, interactive workshops and a new website are some of the outcomes of a project intended to increase understanding of intellectual property (IP) in South East Asia.

Three APEC Member Economies, Indonesia, The Philippines and Viet Nam are participating in the IP Education Skill-Swap Project funded by APEC's Trade and Investment Liberalisation and Facilitation (TILF) Special Account and IP Australia.

Mr Julio Bravo, Program Director for the APEC Intellectual Property Rights Experts' Group, described the project as an "excellent example of different Member Economies working together to develop tangible outcomes."

"IP is an important element in most modern economies that encourages innovation, the development of new industries and job creation.

"A strong IP system that is understood by business also facilitates more trade opportunities."

"APEC is proud to be involved in this project that will help people in each Member Economy to better understand the importance of intellectual property.

"An effective intellectual property rights system provides confidence to business that their rights will be respected. Ultimately this means that profits will be returned to IP rights holders when goods and services are traded in the region."

Dr Ian Heath, Director General of IP Australia, said this project was focusing on education as one of the most important elements in intellectual property.

"Our experience has shown that having strong IP legislation is important but it is essential that people know about it, so education is the key," Dr Heath said.

"Public education and awareness activities can be resource intensive so our objective is to ensure that resources in IP offices are used strategically.

"Our intention is to take the skills and expertise we have developed in this field and transfer them to other economies to use locally."

Ms Carmen Peralta, Director of Documentation Information and Technology Bureau, at the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines described the IP Education Skill-Swap Project as having the potential to provide great benefit to the Filipino economy.

"The workshop facilitated by IP Australia enabled us to promote the importance of IP education locally in the Philippines," Mrs. Peralta said.

"The IP Workshop provided us with the tools to improve our own awareness and promotional programs."

The Chief of the International Cooperation Section of the Indonesian Intellectual Property Office, Mr Yasmon said the project has opened new doors for businesspeople in Indonesia.

"The IP Education Skill-Swap Project has been useful in efforts to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of the IP system," Mr. Yasmon said.

"The project has also reinforced the excellent working relationship our office has with APEC and IP Australia."

Mr Mai Van Son from the National Office of Industrial Property of Vietnam said "the IP Education Skill-Swap Project is producing tangible outcomes such a website and SME brochure.

"Online resources and printed materials for SMEs will play an important part in our strategy to increase the level of awareness and understanding of IP within Vietnam," Mr Van Son said.

"We look forward to building upon the skills we have developed through our involvement in this project."

The IP Education Skill-Swap Project works with the APEC Committee on Trade and Investment's Action Agenda of working to support strong and effective intellectual property rights systems in the APEC region.

Prior to work starting on the Intellectual Property Education Project, an extensive consultation program was undertaken to identify needs within each of the three participating economies.

The Intellectual Property Education Project commenced late in 2002 and most deliverables are scheduled for completion before the end of June 2004.

An APEC Fact Sheet on the IP Education Skill-Swap Project is available on the APEC Website.



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Issued by the APEC Telecommunication and Information Working Group (APEC TEL)

A report tracking APEC Member Economies progress toward liberalising telecommunications sectors has shows that economies are succeeding in reducing trade barriers in the sector.

Mrs. Salma Jalife, Chair of APEC's Telecommunications and Information Working Group said the study gives a clear picture of the benefits provided by telecommunications reforms in APEC economies.

"Reform paths taken by each Member Economy and the pace at which change takes place has a direct impact on the development and maturity of the regional telecommunications sector," Mrs. Jalife said.

"The report is sensitive to these differences which show that one size does not fit all."

Mr. Colin Oliver, Convenor of the APEC-TEL Liberalisation Steering Group, welcomed the report as being very timely as it is ten years since APEC's Free Trade and Investment, or Bogor Goals, were set.

"This review of the TEL Ministers' vision of a liberalised telecommunications market will be a great resource for the industry," Mr. Oliver said.

"All economies have made significant progress and are well on the way to achieving the vision and objectives set by APEC Ministers for this sector.

"As evidenced in the report, ultimately the winners from reform in the telecommunications sector are consumers. Reforms have resulted in the proliferation of affordable telecommunications services and increased accessibility, particularly for people in developing countries.

"Telecommunications reform is directly contributing to reducing the 'digital divide.'

"This report finds a clear and positive correlation between liberalisation and the development of telecommunications. I hope the report encourages similar reviews in other sectors."

The report, "A Stocktake of Progress Toward the Key Elements of a Fully Liberalised Telecommunications Sector in the APEC Region", will be considered at APEC-TEL 30 where proposed actions for TEL Ministers meeting in 2005 will be discussed.

The report was prepared through collaboration between the APEC Study Centres' in Melbourne (Monash University) and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan Institute of Economic Research) and is now available on the APEC Website and has also been posted at TEL web-site.



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An APEC counter terrorism conference has called on all APEC Member Economies to develop Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) and to provide for effective information sharing to combat terrorist financing and money laundering.

The Working Group on the establishment of Financial Intelligence Units meeting at the Second Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Conference agreed that these FIUs were the key agencies in stopping the movement of terrorist and criminal finances. The Final Report from the STAR Conference has been released and is now available online (www.apec.org).

The conference agreed that APEC Member Economies with established systems working to prevent terrorist financing and money laundering should assist other economies to establish similar facilities.

As part of this expanding network aimed at countering terrorist and criminal financing, the conference agreed that governments should provide FIUs with broad access to a wide variety of financial information, including bank accounts and tax information.

The conference also recommended that APEC Member Economies should consider imposing anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism obligations on independent legal professionals.

APEC Member Economies were urged by the conference to develop comprehensive national strategies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. These strategies should articulate in detail the goals of the public and private sectors as partners and the timetable for accomplishing those goals.

Delegates at the STAR Conference also received several presentations from representatives of international institutions such as United Nations, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as well as experts from APEC Member Economies.

The STAR Conference is a forum for senior business and government representatives from around that Asia Pacific Region. The conference aims to identify and discuss counter terrorism issues relevant to business and trade and to ensure that expanded security measures do not have a detrimental effect APEC's trade agenda.

Other areas that were discussed by the STAR Conference include Maritime Security, Air Transportation Security and Business Mobility.

Following the success of the inaugural STAR Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, last year, the Second STAR Conference took place in Viña del Mar, on March 5-6. Recommendations from the conference will be presented to APEC Officials, Ministers and Leaders for policy consideration.



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Final STAR Report Now Released and Available Onlinea

An APEC counter terrorism forum has agreed that greater sharing of technical information is required to better protect sea lanes and ports from terrorist attacks. This increased cooperation is also expected to facilitate greater regional compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.

The forum also agreed that once implemented, the ISPS Code would not only enhance security, but would likely facilitate a higher volume of cross border trade.

These conclusions were reached at the Second Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Conference in Viña del Mar, Chile, on March 5-6. The conference was attended by over 300 senior business and government representatives. The Final STAR Conference Report has now been released and posted online (www.apec.org)

The Working Group on Maritime Security, that met at the conference, looked at a range of issues relating to international technical assistance on maritime safety and security matters.

Delegates at the conference discussed the ISPS Code in depth and concerns were raised regarding steps that economies are taking to meet the 1 July 2004 deadline for implementing the Code. These include ways to apply ISPS Code requirements to sensitive areas such as LNG, LPG, chemical vessels and small craft.

The STAR Conference agreed that it was imperative that all economies have the appropriate laws and regulations in place to fulfill ISPS commitments. The forum noted that failure to do so would lead to a reduction in the level of maritime trade, the closure of port facilities and a decrease in port-related business operations for economies failing to introduce new rules in the near future.

Following presentations from international organizations such as the International Maritime Organization and APEC Member Economies, the conference agreed that there are opportunities to share information on implementing programs that would increase maritime security.

Several economies are extending maritime security assistance to other APEC Member Economies. Australian assistance already provides a significant boost to the capacity of maritime security in a number of developing economies. Canada is providing financial support to the IMO's Maritime Security Trust Fund to assist APEC economies to prepare themselves for international assessments and maritime security standards. The United States also announced a major initiative to help APEC economies meet the requirements of the ISPS code by 1 July. APEC's Transport Security Group will be co-ordinating these donor efforts at its next meeting in Beijing in April.

The conference also expressed significant interest in the Geographic Information System (Grafimar) developed by the Chile Maritime Authority to enhance regional safety and security. Chile has offered to make information on the Grafimar system available for implementation in other APEC Member Economies.

The STAR Conference is a forum for senior business and government representatives from around that Asia Pacific Region. The conference aims to identify and discuss counter terrorism issues relevant to business and trade and to ensure that expanded security measures do not undermine APEC's trade agenda.

Other areas that were discussed by the STAR Conference include Air Transportation Security, Business Mobility and Financial Intelligence Units.

Following the success of the inaugural STAR Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, last year, the Second STAR Conference took place in Viña del Mar, on March 5-6. Recommendations from the conference will be presented to APEC Officials, Ministers and Leaders for policy consideration.



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A comprehensive plan for air cargo security, the strengthening and hardening cockpit doors and the ongoing presence of air marshals on flights were some of the recommendations that will be presented to APEC Officials following the Second STAR Conference.

The Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Conference is a forum of leading business and government representatives from APEC's 21 Member Economies that focuses on overcoming the terrorist threat while ensuring the free flow of goods and services. The Final Report from the STAR Conference has been released and is now available online (www.apec.org)

At the conference the Working Group on Air Transportation Security recommended that a comprehensive plan for air cargo security is a necessity in the current environment in which there is a heightened security alert. Measures that could be implemented under these recommendations include the development and introduction of a networked air cargo data validation system and the identification of high-risk cargoes through canine detection services.

The meeting agreed that an effective approach to air transport security calls for adequate attention to the training of recruitment of personnel to work in roles such as monitoring suspicious activity and incident reporting.

The aim of the STAR Conference is to facilitate a dialogue between the business and government sectors on counter terrorism issues.

Recommendations from the STAR Conference will now be presented to APEC Officials, Ministers and Leaders for consideration and policy development.

Other areas that were discussed by the STAR Conference include Maritime Security, Business Mobility and Financial Intelligence Units.

The First APEC STAR Conference was held in Bangkok in 2003 with the Second STAR Conference hosted by Chile on March 5-6 attracting over 300 senior business and government delegates.



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Education Ministers from APEC Economies will meet on April 29-30 to address educational and teaching challenges confronting the Asia-Pacific Region.

Four key topics have been identified for the meeting covering the teaching of English and other foreign languages, stimulating math and science learning, the use of technology in learning and issues relating to education governance systems.

Working to the theme of "Skills for the Coming Challenges," details of the meeting have been released in Santiago in preparation for the 3rd APEC Education Ministers' Meeting.

Chile's Education Minister, Mr. Sergio Bitar, said attention to education is acknowledged in the APEC process as essential for the future growth and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.

"To be competitive and build prosperity our people must not only have access to education and teaching, but this education must be of higher quality and better targeted to the needs of the people," Mr. Bitar said.

"This APEC Education Ministers' Meeting will address the challenges of providing the highest level of education in the coming years and identify inputs required to achieve these goals."

The four sub-themes of the 3rd APEC Education Ministers' Meeting are:

Teaching English and other Foreign Languages - The primacy of English in overcoming language barriers for trade and diplomacy has led to an increased importance being placed on English language education.

Stimulating Learning in Math and Science - The growth of the knowledge based economy requires a higher capability in the mathematics and science fields. Recognizing differences between Asian and Western education systems in the area of science and technology, APEC's challenge is to identify and share the strengths of all systems.

Using Technology for Teaching and Learning - Advances in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have created new opportunities for expanding the delivery and quality of educational resources throughout the region. The challenge for APEC is to harness this technology to make learning more accessible and of higher quality.

Centralization and Decentralization and Education Governance Systems - Reform in Education governance systems has led to differences between economies depending on their degree of decentralization. More centralized systems aimed at standardizing knowledge in core content areas have developed in some areas while decentralization programs featuring privatization, alternative teacher certifications and programs intended to promote greater innovation and flexibility have developed in others. Identifying the right balance between centralization and decentralization in governance is a key concern for APEC leaders.



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A paper presented by New Zealand to the recent APEC Science Ministers' Meeting calls for greater work-based learning opportunities for students as part of a series of suggestions to make education more relevant to today's economic challenges. The paper, "How Can a Tertiary Education Strategy Drive Economic Growth?" has now been posted on the APEC Website (www.apec.org)

The paper proposes "thinking shifts" be considered by regional educators and governments that encourage universities to engage proactively in encouraging linkages with the private sector to embrace innovation.

Presented to APEC's 21 Member Economies during the 4th APEC Ministers' Meeting on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation in Christchurch, the paper makes suggestions to address the link between tertiary education and economic growth as it relates to increasing demands of the modern global economy.

"The strategic issues (in the paper) explore some of the challenges and thinking shifts required to shape the organisation of tertiary education to cater for the needs of individuals and countries in the context of an increasingly global and technological environment."

The paper also notes the importance of well planned and innovative education strategies for the economic and social health.

"Education systems have a critical role to play in ensuring that individuals are able to achieve through participation in lifelong learning but also in contributing to overall economic and social performance through research and innovation capability.

The paper covers three key strategic issues:

The alignment of educational organisations priorities to national goals and outcomes;

Improving pathways for all learners, including an increased focus on pathways for disadvantaged learners; and

Stronger focus on quality enhancement and quality assurance arrangements to support better learning outcomes.

The paper also calls for analysis of the goals of individual tertiary organisations and how these fit with the needs of the economy and society.

Issues raised in the paper are expected to receive attention at the next Ministerial Meeting on the APEC Agenda, the APEC Education Ministers' Meeting in Santiago, Chile, on April 29-30.



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The President of the Republic of Chile and APEC 2004 Chair, Ricardo E. Lagos, will visit the APEC Secretariat in Singapore on May 1.

President Lagos will be meeting with APEC executives and staff to address the APEC 2004 programme and preparations for the series of major events to be chaired by Chile during its year as APEC host.

A news conference will take place following this meeting at the APEC Secretariat building on Saturday, May 1, at 10.30am.

At the news conference President Lagos will outline plans for APEC 2004, discuss the growing links between Chile and economies of the Asia Pacific Region and take questions from the media.

As part of the 2004 APEC Year, Chile will host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November, seven Ministerial Meetings and a number of Senior Officials and Working Group level meetings.

Representatives from accredited news organizations are required to register their attendance for the news conference no later than Friday, April 23.

To register please submit the following to the APEC Secretariat by e-mail or post;

Full name

Nationality

Name of news organisation

Passport number or identity card number

Contact details including telephone, fax, email and postal address

Passport photograph

Please e-mail registration information to media@mail.apecsec.org.sg or post to the APEC Secretariat, 35 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Singapore 119616.



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Assisting all APEC Member Economies to fully apply counter-terrorism measures to meet International Maritime Organization standards is one of the priorities of the 23rd Meeting of the APEC Transportation Working Group in Beijing, China, on April 19-23.

Implementation of the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code has been identified by APEC Economies as an urgent task to ensure that ships are able to safely load or unload cargo at APEC ports.

Other issues on the APEC Transportation Working Group (TPTWG) meeting agenda include a review of progress on implementation of APEC's eight steps for more competitive air services, assessing options for the liberalization of maritime services and addressing road safety in Asia Pacific in response to the last World Report of the World Health Organization.

Lead Shepherd of the APEC Transportation Working Group, Mr Kevin Sample said full implementation of the ISPS Code has been identified by other APEC fora as a high priority to ensure trade is not undermined by the terrorist threat.

"The deadline for ports to adopt the ISPS Codes is 1 July 2004 and the APEC Transportation Working Group is assisting all APEC economies to meet this goal," Mr Sample said.

"The failure to implement the ISPS Codes by the deadline will lead to serious difficulties for affected ports.

"The recent Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) forum noted that ports failing to implement ISPS Codes would likely face a reduction in maritime business and trade.

"The STAR Conference also recommended increased cooperation between all stakeholders to ensure the timely implementation of the codes. This request from the STAR Conference is on the Beijing meeting agenda.

"To facilitate the ISPS Code implementation the TPTWG held an ISPS workshop and the United States launched a website (www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/mp/ISPS/shtml) designed to assist economies in complying with requirements of the Code.

"APEC's Counter-Terrorism agenda has particular significance for the Transportation Working Group. The Group plans to reinvigorate the Aviation Safety Expert Group and initiate consideration of rail security.

Tasks have been mandated by Leaders in the APEC Leaders' Statement on Fighting Terrorism and Promoting Growth and these will be further clarified in Beijing.

"The terrorist threat is seen as one of the greatest threats to APEC's Free Trade and Investment goals. APEC has placed great attention on ensuring that trade within the region is not only secure but is also safe."

Kevin Sample said the 23rd meeting of the APEC Transportation Working Group will be an outstanding opportunity for APEC Member Economies to assist each other to meet the regional transport challenges of today.

This meeting of the APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting is also significant as it is the last meeting prior to the APEC Transportation Ministerial Meeting in July.



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APEC Ministers will look at options for expanding education and training in the use of English and other foreign languages for business, trade and diplomacy when they meet in Santiago, Chile, on April 29-30.

This is one of the recommendations for consideration as part of the Education Ministers' program that is meeting under the theme of "Skills for the Coming Challenges."

Chile's Education Minister and Chair of the Ministerial Meeting, Mr. Sergio Bitar, said Ministers will look at education research and policy trends from Eastern and Western perspectives with the aim of deriving the best from all education systems.

"There will be discussion and exchange of ideas on the best way to promote the use English and other foreign languages between APEC Member Economies to overcome communications barriers," Minister Bitar said.

"Expanding the capacity for people to communicate in English and other foreign languages is central for the promotion of trade and economic development in the global economy.

"English will never replace the great diversity of local languages in APEC economies, but when it comes to international business, trade and diplomacy, English has emerged as the most common language between economies.

"If we are to be successful in building a stronger regional economy we must be able to communicate freely and openly in order to accomplish our tasks.

"Use English and other foreign languages for cross-border communications is important in many areas of trade ranging from tourism to the trade in financial services. Small and Medium Enterprises are also able to benefit through opportunities to increase their competitiveness, expand into export markets and source cheaper inputs to production."

The recommendations for areas of discussion were earlier agreed at the International Seminar on Education Reform in the APEC Region in Beijing, China, in January.

These areas have since been incorporated into a series of four sub-themes for the meeting:

Teaching English and other Foreign languages

Stimulating Learning in Math and Science

Using Technology for Teaching and Learning

Centralization and Decentralization and Education Governance Systems

Additional details on the Themes for the 3rd APEC Education Ministers' Meeting are available at:

http://www.apec.org/apec/news___media/fact_sheets/emm3_themes.html

The 3rd APEC Education Ministers Meeting will be preceded by the Senior Education Officials Meeting and a pre-Meeting Seminar and Exhibition on the use of information and communication technologies in education. These will include hardware and infrastructure products as well as educational software on 27-28 April.



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Education Ministers from APEC Member Economies will bring together best educational practices from East and West when they meet in Santiago, Chile, on April 29-30.

Meeting under the theme of "Skills for the Coming Challenges" Chile's Education Minister, Mr. Sergio Bitar, who will Chair the meeting, said Ministers will look at options to transfer educational practices between APEC's 21 Member Economies.

"All Member Economies have clear strengths in certain areas and we want to unlock the secrets of these successes and share them," Minister Bitar said.

"The aim of the 3rd Education Ministers' Meeting is to improve education policies and practices throughout the Asia-Pacific by sharing information on learning practices that work.

"For example Asian educational systems have a reputation of excellence in teaching content knowledge in mathematics and science. At the same time Western education systems appear to focus on programs that develop analytical skills for practical implementation.

"The question before Ministers is how to unite the best of both educational structures."

Minister Bitar said bringing together the strengths of several educational systems also calls for consideration of the cultural, demographic and institutional practices in different economies.

"The APEC Region is very diverse with a great depth of educational experience in each Member Economy. The 3rd APEC Education Ministers' Meeting will provide an opportunity to share this experience," Minister Bitar said.

In the lead-up to the Ministerial Meeting, education officials and government representatives have taken part in a series of workshops to review research and policy trends from Eastern and Western perspectives. These areas have since been incorporated into the series of four sub-themes for the meeting:

Teaching English and other Foreign Languages

Stimulating Learning in Math and Science

Using Technology for Teaching and Learning

Centralization and Decentralization and Education Governance Systems

Additional details on the Themes for the 3rd APEC Education Ministers' Meeting are available at http://www.apec.org/apec/news___media/fact_sheets/emm3_themes.html

The 3rd APEC Education Ministers Meeting will be preceded by the Senior Education Officials Meeting and a pre-Meeting Seminar and Exhibition on the use of information and communication technologies in education. These will include hardware and infrastructure products as well as educational software on 27-28 April.



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Preparing APEC Member Economies to overcome future international disease outbreaks is to be a key priority for the new APEC Health Task Force.

At its inaugural meeting in Taipei, the task force has outlined priorities to address cross border diseases such as SARS and Avian Influenza through a programme of collaborative activities.

Chair of the APEC Health Task Force, Dr Melinda Moore of the US Department of Health and Human Services, said the damage posed by pandemic disease outbreaks continues to present a threat to regional economic stability.

"APEC is in a unique position to contribute to international efforts to combat infectious diseases because APEC is active in so many sectors that work across borders" Dr Moore said.

"Efforts to control cross-border diseases go beyond health issues to include sectors such as transport and tourism and many opportunities exist for collaborative action to be further strengthened through the use of sophisticated communications infrastructure."

"Major disease outbreaks can have considerable impact not only on the health of the populations of member economies but also on the region's overall economic health and trading activity.

"There is an urgent need for APEC economies to work together not only on prevention and control of diseases but also on addressing the broader economic impact of disease epidemics."

The Task Force will implement APEC's health-related activities as directed by Leaders, Ministers and Senior Officials. These will include activities outlined in the Health Security Initiativeannounced by APEC Leaders last October.

Terms of Reference for the APEC Health Task Force were approved by APEC Senior Officials at their first meeting of 2004 in Santiago, Chile, in March.

The first meeting of the APEC Health Task Force took place in Taipei on April 26-27 and was attended by government and non-government representatives from APEC's 21 Member Economies.



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The News Conference by the President of the Republic of Chile, Ricardo Lagos, at the APEC Secretariat in Singapore on May 1 will be webcast live (April 30 in the Americas). 

President Lagos will outline plans for APEC 2004 and the growing links between Chile and the Asian Region. President Lagos will also take questions from media in attendance at the news conference. 

The Republic of Chile is the Host of the 2004 APEC Year Chile. Throughout the year Chile will hold a large number of APEC events that will culminate with the APEC Leaders' Meeting in November. Chile is also hosting seven Ministerial Meetings and a number of Senior Officials and Working Group level meetings. 

The webcast of the news conference will be available via a link on the APEC Secretariat website: www.apec.org 

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Senior Asia-Pacific business leaders will prepare a series of recommendations for APEC Trade Ministers when they meet in Taipei on May 11-14.

Key among the recommendations from the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) will be business community views on progressing stalled WTO negotiations and preferential trade agreements.

ABAC Chair, Hernán Somerville, said ensuring economic growth can only be accomplished through close cooperation between the government and private sectors.

"APEC Trade Ministers are very receptive to the views of the business community and by working together we can overcome challenges facing the global economy," Mr. Somerville said.

"Progressing the WTO Doha Development Agenda is a key issue not only for opening markets and creating jobs, but for restoring business confidence in the economy.

"It is the business community that eventually trades in the goods and services that are the subject of WTO negotiations; we must make clear to Ministers and Leaders the critical importance of successfully concluding the negotiations, and the inescapable costs of failure."

Mr. Somerville also highlighted the importance of ensuring transparency and WTO consistency in bilateral or regional trade agreements within the APEC Region.

"These new free trade agreements offer substantial economic benefits, but new trading rules and regulations resulting from the growing number of preferential or free trade agreements could also impose very real costs on business," Mr. Somerville said.

"If the trading rules between the covered markets are not open, consistent, transparent and compatible, then the costs may outweigh the benefits, and they might actually impede future trade liberalisation.

"For business operators, it is also important that information about new trade and investment rules is clear and readily accessible by all businesses, both large and small.

"Governments must also continue aggressively to reduce transaction costs and make it easier to do business in the region, to bring down the procedural costs to accompany tariff reductions, and they need business community help to do this.

Mr. Somerville said other issues on the ABAC agenda include discussion of concrete measures for trade and investment facilitation and mechanisms to cope with new security and health challenges, particularly without needlessly burdening business.

The ABAC Report will be presented to the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade when they meet in Pucon, Chile, on June 4-5.

ABAC consists of up to three top business executives who are appointed directly by Leaders in each APEC Member Economy. ABAC delegates represent business concerns and advise APEC Leaders, Ministers and officials in areas such as trade and investment liberalization, business facilitation and capacity building.

This is the Second ABAC Meeting for 2004. Before presenting their full recommendations to APEC Leaders in Santiago this November, ABAC will meet again in Auckland, New Zealand in August.



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The APEC Budget Management Committee (BMC) and APEC Member Economies have approved US$833,878 worth of new APEC projects intended to improve the capacity of APEC Member Economies to participate in free trade, increase transparency and improve regional security. See Fact Sheet on "Projects Approved by the First Meeting of the APEC Budget Management Committee for 2004".

At its first meeting for 2004, the BMC approved 14 project proposals that BMC Chair, Mr. Chutintorn Gongsakdi, said are a direct response to directives laid out by APEC Leaders and Ministers in 2003.

"Priorities were set last year that must now be attended to through specific work programs and must be completed by the next APEC Leaders Meeting in November," Mr. Gongsakdi said at the conclusion of the meeting.

"This year there are a number of important projects relating to issues such as financing of small and medium enterprises, counter terrorism capacity building, increasing the use of paperless trading in business transitions and recognizing the credentials of foreign workers.

"These projects are the result of policy directions set by leaders and directly involve a wide range of government officers, business people and members of the public from around the APEC Region.

"The results of this work will be distributed throughout the APEC process for inclusion in the development of APEC standards and future policy initiatives."

Projects presented to the BMC are expected to comply with four APEC priorities that are part of the strategic roadmap for economic and technical cooperation activities. These are:

Integration into the global economy

Counter-terrorism capacity building

Promoting knowledge-based economies, and

Addressing the social dimensions of globalization

The BMC is made up of representatives of each of APEC's 21 Member Economies and meets twice each year.



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Deep concern about the state of the WTO Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations was expressed by senior Asia-Pacific business representatives in a letter they have sent to APEC Leaders.

Members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), meeting in Taipei, identified successful conclusion of the WTO talks as their top priority.

ABAC Chair, Hernán Somerville, said that business was concerned that it had seen no clear signals from governments that negotiations in the WTO would be resumed in the near-term.

"This lack of progress prejudices prospects for sustained economic growth and development throughout the APEC region." Mr Somerville said.

"Representing some of the most dynamic economies in the world, APEC Trade Ministers must bring a greater sense of urgency to reinvigorating the stalled talks."

Mr Somervillle also highlighted the need to enhance coherence and consistency between global, regional and bilateral trade policy.

"The need to refocus attention on resolving underlying questions currently arising regarding the direction of trade policy in the region is paramount.

"ABAC proposes that the design and features of preferential trading arrangements be incorporated into the agenda of APEC's mid-term review, to be conducted in 2005."

Mr. Somerville also outlined a range of comprehensive recommendations that ABAC will deliver to APEC Trade Ministers in early June in Chile.

Additionally, ABAC members discussed possible alternative approaches to the challenges of trade and investment liberalization in the region, including steps to bring new discipline and more binding commitment to the achievement of the Bogor Goals, and examining the desirability and impact of a free trade agreement of the Asia-Pacific.



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Financial market participants, analysts, lawyers, accountants and regulators and from the Asia Pacific region and Europe discussed the measures needed to develop domestic and regional bond markets in the Asian region at a major conference held in Taipei, Chinese Taipei, on 10/11th May.

The conference, organized by the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) will help inform advice to be provided to APEC Finance Ministers when they meet with ABAC in Santiago Chile in September.

A number of APEC economies have well developed bond markets, but they are not prominent in the financing structures in some other APEC economies - contributing to lending- borrowing mismatches and a cause of financial system instability in recent years.

The conference was highly successful in discerning the key ingredients required if robust markets are to develop. These include a sound macroeconomic policy framework, internationally accepted documentation and processes, efficient settlement systems and within a legal framework where contracts are enforceable and insolvency and agreed work out procedures are in place.

The development of a robust regional market would involve significant policy reforms in the area of capital controls and exchange rate arrangements in some economies to enable investors and borrowers to participate in regional bond issues.

It was recognized that capacity building measures would help economies to develop the necessary framework and skills base and market participants indicated their strong interest in supporting such measures. Measures are especially needed in strengthening credit rating practices, promoting the convergence of accounting standards, regional cooperation in the area of insolvency law and work-out practices and securitisaton.

Major recommendations on how these could be pursued will be discussed with APEC Finance Ministers in September.



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The series of meetings leading up to the Second Senior Officials Meeting of 2004 has begun in Pucón, Chile. The joint seminar between the APEC Competition and Deregulation Group and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development met under the theme of "Enhancing Market Openess Through Regulatory Reform."

Comments from the Chair of APEC's Committee on Trade and Investment who chaired today's meeting, Mr. Alan Bowman, and the Opening Statement by the Deputy Director and Head of Program (Regulatory Reform), Public Governance and Territorial Development Directorate at the OECD, Mr. Rolf Alter, are available via audio webcast:

Introduction by Mr. Alan Bowman, Chair of the APEC Committee on Trade and Investment. 

Opening Statement by Mr. Rolf Alter, Deputy Director and Head of Program (Regulatory Reform), Public Governance and Territorial Development Directorate at the OECD.

Part 1 
Part 2 
Part 3

These files have been reduced to three parts to reduce file sizes. For access via broadband the full opening address is available.



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The first APEC/OECD co-operative initiative on international investment in the Seminar "Current FDI Trends and Investment Agreements: Challenges and Opportunities" has concluded in Pucón, Chile.

Organized by the APEC Investment Experts' Group, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Chile Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sponsored by the Governments of Canada and Japan, the seminar took place on the 25th and 26th of May.

The seminar brought together a diverse range of APEC and OECD Investment delegates, private sector representatives, governmental officials, international investment negotiators, international organizations and arbitrators.

The intention of the seminar was to discuss a range of issues relating to foreign direct investment trends, sensitive disciplines in investment agreements, international investment disputes, as well as to explore future ways of cooperation among both foras regarding investment.

The seminar was conducted in four parts. The first relating to FDI trends focused on FDI flows in OECD and APEC economies. The second part looked at key principles in investment agreements such as transparency, minimum standards on fair and equitable treatment, expropriation and compensation, and most favoured nation treatment. The third part consisted of an overview of the challenges in International Investment Disputes. Finally the last part discussed the complementarities and synergies in the implementation of the IEG's and CIME's work, including comments of the private sector.

A final publication from the seminar will be released in the coming weeks that will contribute to current debate on FDI, Investment Agreements and International Disputes among APEC and OECD countries and economies. The seminar also had a task of bringing together representatives of OECD and APEC economies on these FDI and investment issues.

The OECD and APEC are considered major driving forces in the global economy with one third of APEC Member Economies also being members of the OECD. The shared experience and synergies among the fora of both forums contributed to the success of the seminar.

The seminar was held in the lead-up to the Second APEC Senior Officials Meeting and Meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade.



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Audio Webcast: Interview with Vernon MacKay

The first APEC/OECD co-operative initiative on international investment in the Seminar "Current FDI Trends and Investment Agreements: Challenges and Opportunities" has concluded in Pucón, Chile.

Organized by the APEC Investment Experts' Group, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Chile Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sponsored by the Governments of Canada and Japan, the seminar took place on the 25th and 26th of May.

The seminar brought together a diverse range of APEC and OECD Investment delegates, private sector representatives, governmental officials, international investment negotiators, international organizations and arbitrators.

[https://www] Mr. Vernon MacKay, the Senior Trade Policy Advisor from the Investment Trade Policy Division of the Canadian Government and a presenter at the seminar, spoke with Julio Bravo from the APEC Secretariat after the meeting.



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Audio Webcast: Interview with María Elena Varas

The first APEC/OECD co-operative initiative on international investment in the Seminar "Current FDI Trends and Investment Agreements: Challenges and Opportunities" has concluded in Pucón, Chile.

Organized by the APEC Investment Experts' Group, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Chile Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sponsored by the Governments of Canada and Japan, the seminar took place on the 25th and 26th of May.

The seminar brought together a diverse range of APEC and OECD Investment delegates, private sector representatives, governmental officials, international investment negotiators, international organizations and arbitrators.

[https://www]MS. María Elena Varas, an attorney with the Department of Services, Investments and Air Transport from the Chilean Ministry of International Economic Relations, spoke with Julio Bravo from the APEC Secretariat after the meeting.




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Mining Ministers from APEC Member Economies are meeting in Chile over three days to address issues impacting on the Asia-Pacific mining sector.

This will be the first-ever meeting of APEC Ministers responsible for mining and is expected to provide strategic direction, priorities and long-term vision for the work of APEC within the minerals and metals sector. With the large volume of global metal and mineral extraction and consumption taking place in the APEC Region, the meeting will produce globally significant results.

As a percentage of global production volumes APEC Member Economies are responsible for 64% of gold, 50% of bauxite, 66% of nickel, 82% of copper and 75% of zinc.

Key issues for mining ministers include sustainable development for the mining sector and trade and investment liberalization and facilitation in metals and minerals markets.

In terms of sustainable development the meeting will provide an opportunity to analyze initiatives to enhance the sustainability of the mining sector through responsible research and development. This is particularly relevant to areas involving new technologies and scientific cooperation which are essential to ensure the well being of the industry and for the development of new metal and mineral based products.

The liberalization of trade and investment in the fields of metals and minerals is also important to the development of the mining sector. In line with APEC's free trade and investment goals, Ministers will analyze obstacles to free trade, investment barriers and also discuss future possibilities related to double taxation agreements.

The Mining Ministers' Meeting will begin in Santiago on Tuesday, June 15, before moving north to Chile's most important mining region on the following day. On June 16 Ministers will meet in the city of Antofagasta, then on June 17 ministers will visit the Chuquicamata mine and the city of Calama before returning to Santiago.



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Senior Asia-Pacific business executives will address the challenges of globalization and ways of reviving WTO negotiations when they meet on February 3-6 in Miami.

This meeting will bring executives appointed by the Leaders of the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum Member Economies to Florida where they will develop their policy recommendations and also engage in a business symposium with local businesses, both at the Doral Resort.

APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Chair, Mr. Hernan Somerville from Chile, said "It is a pleasure to visit Miami for our first meeting of 2004."

"This is a fitting start, as Chile's hosting the APEC this year will focus considerable high-level business and political attention on the Americas and issues of interest here."

One of the highlights of this meeting will be the ABAC Business Symposium, "APEC and the WTO: Achieving Progress Through Cooperation," with U.S., regional and Miami business representatives on February 4. The symposium is being organized by the U.S. National Center for APEC.

"This symposium will be a two-way exchange. Top business executives from around the Asia-Pacific region will discuss pressing global issues and their recommendations to Leaders, while the Miami business community can offer its views on global issues and local opportunities."

Mr. Somerville said "ABAC's main focus, as it develops recommendations to present to APEC Leaders when they meet in Santiago in November, is to provide practical advice and represent the business community."

Delegates will also discuss innovative ideas to facilitate trade across borders while improving security against terrorist threats, corporate governance, transparency and financial market stability, successful conclusion of the WTO negotiations and the proliferation of bilateral and regional trade agreements, reducing business transaction costs, and access to financing for SMEs.

To prepare their final recommendations to APEC Leaders in November, ABAC will also meet in Chinese Taipei in May and New Zealand in August.

Separate media guidance will be issued inviting the media to attend a photo opportunity during the ABAC Business Symposium with Florida Businesses on Wednesday, February 4, and a Press Conference on Friday, February 6.



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The importance of business sector participation in regional counter terrorism efforts has been highlighted by the Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, Ambassador Mario Artaza.

In an address to the Regional Ministerial Meeting on Counter Terrorism currently taking place in Bali, Ambassador Artaza said that as terrorism poses one of the greatest threats to the global economy countering this threat is a shared responsibility.

Ambassador Artaza said this shared responsibility will be a key feature of the Second Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Conference taking place in Santiago, Chile, in March.

"Combining the experience of business with the authority of government enables stronger defences against terrorism and also helps to protect cargo, ships, aviation and travelers.

"Addressing the twin goals of protecting against the terrorist threat while at the same time facilitating the free flow of legitimate trade, finances and passengers will be the central topic of the STAR Conference.

"The STAR Conference will bring together officials from APEC?s 21 Member Economies with leading business people and representatives from international organizations to advance coordinated counter terrorism initiatives.

"This is the second year of the STAR Conference after the first meeting was held in Bangkok in 2003.

"The STAR Initiative has been developed by APEC Member Economies working with the private sector and includes measures to protect cargo, ships, aviation and travelers."

Ambassador Artaza said counter terrorism issues are a high priority for the APEC process and he briefed the Bali Ministerial meeting on APEC?s ongoing counter terrorism program.

"APEC Leaders have laid directions for the development of initiatives designed to dismantle transnational terrorist groups while at the same time promoting legitimate trade and border movements," Ambassador Artaza told the meeting.

"An important part of this APEC strategy is also ensuring that APEC Member Economies are able to access the resources required to build their counter terrorism capacity.

"To better identify individual capacity building needs, each APEC Member Economy has prepared a Counter-Terrorism Action Plan. These Plans are being reviewed by experts to identify specific areas where economies may require assistance from other APEC Members or international organizations."

APEC's counter terrorism activities cover a large area including the protection of energy supply chains and the movement of cargo, enacting comprehensive legal frameworks to combat cybercrime and the tracking of finances in international transactions.

The Second STAR Conference will take place on March 5-6 in Viña del Mar, Chile.



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Those who drive research and development in the Asia Pacific region and a strong panel of R&D experts from around the globe will converge on Christchurch in early March.

Chief Executives and managers from private and public research institutions in the 21 APEC economies will be attending the 5th APEC R&D Leaders' Forum from 10 - 11 March, exploring and debating the theme of 'capturing value from science'. The Forum runs concurrently with the 4th APEC Ministers' meeting on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation, also being held in Christchurch.

At the end of their two day meeting, R&D leaders will be offered the unprecedented opportunity to sit down with the APEC Science Ministers, and have direct input into their thinking.

Forum Convenor Anthony Scott, the Executive Director of the Association of Crown Research Institutes, says the R&D Leaders programme reflects the demand for science to generate economic wealth. He says the Forum has attracted an impressive line-up of high calibre, internationally respected speakers.

This includes:

Dr Lee Ki-Won, Executive Vice President of Samsung Electronics, Korea

Professor Tom Furness, Director Human Interface Technology Lab, University of Washington, USA and University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Professor Lan Xue, Professor and Executive Vice-President, Development Research Academy for the 21st Century; Professor and Associate Dean, School of Public Affairs Tsinghua University (Beijing, PR China)

Dr Cristian Samper, Director, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, (Washington, DC)

Dr Rita Colwell, Director of the US National Science Foundation

Yoshio Matsumi, Executive Counsellor and General Manager of the Innovative Technology Business Development Office for the Itochu Corporation

Professor Mason Durie, Head of School, Te Pütahi-ä-Toi (School of Maori Studies), Massey University

Professor Alan MacDiarmid, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania

Professor Peter Hunter, Director, Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland

Professor Paul Callaghan, Director, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Professor of Physical Sciences, Victoria University

The R&D Leaders Forum is part of a week of events which will attract influential politicians, business people and media from around the APEC region as well as research and development leaders.

There is particularly strong interest in the event from Asian members of APEC. For example Japan is sending a 26-person delegation, with 17 representatives from Chinese Taipei, 15 from Korea, 7 from China and 6 from Thailand. Other economies that have already indicated they will attend include the United States, Australia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Chile and Brunei Darussalam.

New Zealand will be represented by two Ministers at the APEC meetings - the Minister of Science, Research and Technology, Pete Hodgson, will Chair the meeting of Ministers while the Minister of Social Services and Employment, Steve Maharey, will lead the New Zealand delegation.

Pete Hodgson says New Zealand's offer to host the APEC Science meetings reflects the importance to New Zealand of international connections and co-operation in science.

"We have particular strengths such as our expertise in the life sciences and our ability to be creative problem solvers. The Government wants to increase international awareness of these strengths and encourage partnerships with other economies. The APEC meetings will be a significant means of achieving these goals."

The meeting of APEC Ministers will focus on four key themes - human capability building to ensure a supply of skilled workers with science and technology skills, building international science and technology networks, connecting research and innovation and strengthening technological cooperation.

The last meeting of APEC Science Ministers was held in Mexico in 1998. The overall theme of the 2004 meeting is Enhancing the capacity of science, technology and innovation to deliver sustainable growth across the APEC region.

Full details and registration forms for the event are available at: www.apecscience2004.org.nz



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Senior Asia-Pacific business executives, meeting in Miami, concluded unanimously that the top business concern is the successful conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda negotiations in the WTO.

Members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) are encouraged by recent evidence of active engagement among trade ministers, and stand fully behind efforts to get the WTO negotiations back on track.

ABAC Chair, Mr. Hernan Somerville of Chile, said "These talks are simply too important to be allowed to fail." ABAC members are calling for bold steps, and have elaborated this message in a letter to Leaders.

Members noted that the growing number of Regional Trade Arrangements derives partly from a frustration with the lack of progress in the WTO, and that a positive WTO outcome would maximize the liberalizing thrust being sought through FTAs and RTAs.

ABAC business executives also discussed the APEC structure and its effectiveness and possible recommendations aimed at reform. ABAC members consider that the time might have come for Asia-Pacific economies to move towards more binding liberalization commitments. The mid-term review that APEC will undertake next year will provide an opportunity to consider such reforms.

ABAC also considers it important to develop joint positions on the WTO negotiations including tangible steps on agriculture, goods and services. Importantly, ABAC members have today resolved to support the proposal for WTO negotiations on Trade Facilitation. Transparency in government procurement is also seen as critical to improving the regional business environment. ABAC stresses the importance of good economic and business governance and calls for the inclusion of provisions on corruption in the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement.

Business leaders agreed that the global economic outlook for 2004 is more favorable than it has been for a number of years. Although there are always risks, business confidence is increasing and financial markets support expectations for strong growth in the APEC region. ABAC members are exploring measures to improve the regional financial market and to deepen domestic and regional bond markets.

Background: ABAC consists of up to three top business executives appointed directly by Leaders in each APEC Member Economy. ABAC delegates represent business concerns and advise APEC Leaders and officials in areas such as trade and investment liberalization, business facilitation and capacity building. ABAC will meet again in Taipei and Auckland and present its full recommendations to APEC Leaders in Santiago next November.



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Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) has been asked to chair the first ever APEC Policy Dialogue on Deposit Insurance, which will take place from February 16 to 18, 2004 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This event will bring together policy makers and officials from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies and other countries. A Policy Dialogue on Financial Disclosure co-chaired by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and the Ministry of Finance of Chile will follow from February 18 to 20, 2004.

Following the Policy Dialogue on Deposit Insurance, a report will be submitted to the APEC Finance Ministers with recommendations on ways to strengthen deposit insurance systems. The Policy Dialogue on Deposit Insurance is an important component of the APEC Finance Ministers' work program.

"Over the past few years the international financial and economic community has paid increasing attention to the contribution made to financial stability by effective deposit insurance systems," said Jean Pierre Sabourin, CDIC's President and Chief Executive Officer. "In this Policy Dialogue we will be focusing on the key attributes that will help guide policy makers in strengthening their systems," he added.

The Policy Dialogue is also a unique occasion to discuss issues that are at the forefront of international considerations in establishing effective deposit insurance systems. Presentations by practitioners and other experts will cover three main areas:

establishing legal protection and indemnification for employees of deposit insurers and other financial system safety net participants;

ensuring effective interrelationship management among safety net participants; and

providing trigger mechanisms for the early intervention and resolution of troubled banks.

The APEC Policy Dialogue on Deposit Insurance, hosted by Bank Negara Malaysia, will be held at the Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel. To date participants include representatives from the majority of APEC economies and a number of non-APEC countries. The report resulting from the Policy Dialogue will be presented to the APEC Finance Ministers for consideration at their meeting in September 2004 in Chile.



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Life sciences experts from the Asia-Pacific Region are meeting in Thailand today and tomorrow for what is seen as the first step in developing the APEC Life Sciences Innovation Forum (LSIF) Strategic Plan.

Chaired by H.E. Suwit Khunkitti, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, one of the main objectives of the LSIF Experts Group Meeting is to develop a Life Sciences Matrix of Best Practices.

This matrix will form the basis of a National LSIF Capacity Assessment (NCA) for APEC Member Economies to take stock of their development needs in the Life Sciences sector in their economies.

The best practice matrix will contain a list of operating principles covering specific areas of the Life Sciences sector identified at the first LSIF meeting in Phuket, Thailand, in 2003. The four areas are:

Research

Development

Manufacturing and Marketing

Health Services

To take advantage of the potential gains of the Life Sciences sector APEC Leaders have requested that the LSIF Strategic Plan be ready for the Leaders' Meeting in Santiago, Chile, this November.

The next stage in the development of the LSIF Strategic Plan will be the presentation of the Matrix of Best Practices and an NCA questionnaire to the first meeting of APEC Senior Officials in Santiago on February 26.

A pilot program will then be initiated in which up to 5 APEC Member Economies will conduct National LSIF Capacity Assessments. The results of these assessments will be reviewed and the process further refined before the strategy is presented to APEC Leaders.

The LSIF Experts Group Meeting is being held at the Khon Kaen Sofietel Hotel.

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Member Economies: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States of America and Viet Nam.



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Improving consumer confidence and ensuring the growth of electronic commerce through cooperation on data privacy issues will be the focus of an APEC data privacy implementation symposium next week.

The "APEC Symposium on Data Privacy Implementation Mechanisms: Developing the APEC Privacy Framework" will bring together business, consumer and government experts from APEC's 21 Member Economies on February 23-24 in Santiago, Chile.

Sponsored by the APEC Electronic Commerce Steering Group (ECSG), the symposium will address key issues confronting both governments and businesses as they seek to create a balance between effective privacy protections and the free flow of information. More specifically, panellists will address:

Privacy issues in the networked global environment;

The nature of modern information management;

Approaches to information use and processing

Flexible approaches to international information flows;

Effective enforcement mechanisms to enforce privacy protections;

Cross-border cooperation on enforcement matters; and,

Consumer and business education on privacy.

The APEC Privacy Implementation Symposium is the latest project undertaken by the ECSG as part of its efforts to develop the APEC Privacy Framework. This Framework, which will be made up of both privacy principles and effective mechanisms for their implementation, is designed to help economies protect privacy and maintain the free flow of information, and to enable enforcement agencies to fulfil their mandates regarding privacy and public safety.

Peter Ford, Chair of the APEC ECSG Privacy Subgroup, voiced support for the APEC Privacy Implementation Symposium: "This Symposium is central to APEC's work to increase consumer and business confidence, and to promote electronic commerce in the Asia-Pacific region. Considering the social, cultural and legal differences among APEC economies, flexibility in the implementation of the privacy principles will be essential to the success of the APEC Privacy Framework."

Speakers at the APEC Privacy Implementation Symposium will include high-level representatives from the private sector, government and non-governmental organizations.

The Symposium will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Salon Prieto, Santiago, Chile.



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With the start of the 2004 APEC Year, the Chair of Senior Officials Meetings, Ricardo A. Lagos, said he expects the issue of the rising number of free trade agreements (FTAs) will become a permanent fixture on the APEC agenda.

The first formal meeting of APEC Senior Officials begins this morning in Santiago, Chile, where Senior Officials will lay the groundwork for the year ahead.

Mr. Lagos said the spread of free trade agreements and regional trade agreements (RTAs) has led to a call by the APEC Business Advisory Council for APEC to take closer look at the agreements.

"The business community has called on APEC to consider the impact of free trade agreements on APEC´s stated free trade and investment goals," Mr. Lagos said.

"As the first formal meeting of APEC Senior Officials gets underway I anticipate there will be support for APEC to establish a policy dialogue on FTAs and RTAs. This policy dialogue would most likely be tasked with increasing transparency and awareness of how these agreements impact on the regional economy.

"FTAs and RTAs have become an important tool for economies in opening their markets and expanding trade and investment opportunities. They are here to stay and it is important that APEC as a forum takes this opportunity to establish a greater understanding of their relevance to the APEC process."

Other key APEC issues for 2004 APEC Year include the progression of the current round of WTO negotiations, APEC's ongoing Counter Terrorism Agenda and preparations for the mid-term review of APEC's free trade progress.

The 2004 APEC year will see more than one hundred APEC projects launched around the Asia-Pacific Region. The year will also feature ten Ministerial Meetings in Chile, Indonesia, New Zealand and the Philippines and conclude with the APEC Leaders' Meeting in Santiago this November.

Following the APEC Senior Officials meeting today in Santiago, the Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Conference will take place in Viña del Mar, Chile, on March 5-6. The STAR Conference brings government and business leaders together to address joint counter terrorism and trade concerns.



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A new APEC report has found that cross-border mergers and acquisitions produced more benefits than costs and added to the competitiveness of the host economy.

The report also found a direct correlation between overall economic performance and the relative openness of an economy to cross-border mergers and acquisitions.

The report, "Cross-Border Mergers & Acquisitions: Case Studies of Korea, China and Hong Kong, China" has been presented to the first round of APEC meetings for 2004 currently taking place in Santiago, Chile.

Compiled by the APEC Investment Experts' Group (IEG), the report explores the impacts of cross-border mergers and acquisitions in a framework that can be applied across the APEC Region.

Acting Chair of the IEG, Mr. Ramon Vicente T Kabigting, said he hoped the findings in the report would help to improve understanding and reduce investment barriers to foreign investment.

"This report should serve to improve public awareness of the benefits of foreign investment in economies where there is an emotional attachment to particular companies," Mr. Kabigting said.

"Although there will always be legitimate cases that call for upholding the domestic players, we hope this report will enable APEC Member Economies to expedite cooperative policies relating to mergers and acquisitions through lower barriers."

Mr. Kabigting said the report identified a range of benefits to come from cross-border mergers and acquisitions.

"Technology transfer and new research and development centers are one obvious benefit to come from a merger or acquisition with a local company by a foreign company.

"Other benefits came in the form of increased consumer choice or a rise in demand for improved locally produced goods."

The report notes that in the global economy, cross-border mergers and acquisitions have become more important than Greenfield investment, accounting for over 80 percent of foreign direct investment by multinational corporations.

The study drew from analysis of five case studies in Hong Kong, China; Korea and China. The criteria for selection was that the mergers or acquisitions were highly publicized, were drawn from both the manufacturing and services sectors, were between 1999 and 2002 and involved high dollar amounts of between US$16 million and US$5.9 billion.

Click here for the full report.



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Papua New Guinea has become the 16th APEC Member Economy to join the APEC Business Travelers Card (ABTC) program that enables pre-cleared short-term entry to 16 APEC Member Economies. The ABTC Program also facilitates rapid immigration processing for business travelers through special APEC lanes at major airports.

Chair of the APEC Business Mobility Group (BMG) that is responsible for the program, Mr. Ed Killesteyn, welcomed the inclusion of Papua New Guinea in the program.

"Papua New Guinea's participation in the APEC Business Travelers Card program means business people can travel to 16 economies with greater ease of movement and efficiency.

"The APEC Business Travel Card cuts though the red tape of business travel in the Asia-Pacific.

"After applicants have been issued with the ABTC they have three years multiple entry facilities for stay in participating economies for at least 60 days and fast-track immigration processing at major airports.

"Papua New Guinea and the region will enjoy greater business opportunities through the increased flexibility of business travel through our 16 participating Member Economies. There are sixteen APEC economies currently participating in the ABTC program:

Australia

Brunei Darussalam

Chile

China

Hong Kong (China)

Indonesia *

Japan

Republic of Korea

Malaysia

New Zealand

Papua New Guinea *

Peru

The Philippines

Singapore *

Chinese Taipei

Thailand

* Economies that have signed the ABTC Operating Framework and are preparing to commence issuing cards to their passport holders or granting pre-cleared entry to foreign card applicants.

Additional details on the ABTC are available at the Business Mobility Group Website: www.businessmobility.org



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Protecting shipping and aviation from terrorist attack will be among key issues addressed by senior regional business and government representatives at the Second STAR Conference on March 5-6 in Viña del Mar, Chile.

At the first STAR (Secure Trade in the APEC Region) Conference in Bangkok last year, delegates from APEC's 21 Member Economies drew attention to a number of crucial issues that have since become a part of the APEC counter terrorism agenda.

The STAR Conference brings together a range of executives and government officials to identify both impediments and solutions relating to APEC's twin counter terrorism goals of promoting trade efficiency and ensuring security.

Acting Chair of the APEC Counter Terrorism Task Force (CTTF), Mr Hirouki Minami, said that as one of the greatest threats to the economic health of the region, terrorism is an issue of great importance to the business community as well as policy makers.

"Business and government must work together so that we can protect our economies from terrorist attack, while at the same time ensuring increased security measures do not undermine free trade," Mr Minami said.

"Ensuring shipping lanes and port facilities are not vulnerable to attack, installing appropriate screening measures at airports and protecting aircraft in-flight are key issues for the economic health for the region."

Mr Minami said the STAR Conference will also look at topics relating to the movement of people and finances across borders.

"Ensuring legitimate tourist and business travelers are able to travel freely through entry ports while having measures in place to detect terrorists and criminals are important subjects for the conference.

"It is also important that legitimate investors can move money freely across borders while ensuring sufficient measures are in place to detect the flow of terrorist finances.

"The STAR Conference gives the business community an avenue to provide their input on government counter-terrorism policies that impact upon their business.

"This is one of the best regional opportunities to bring business leaders together with government decision makers to ensure government policy works with business needs."

The Keynote Speaker at the STAR Conference will be Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Chile.



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Chile's Defense Minister has called for stronger APEC cooperation with other international organizations to counter the terrorist threat.

Minister Michelle Bachelet Jeria made the comments in her opening address to the Second Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Conference that began today in Viña del Mar.

Minister Bachelet told the meeting of over three hundred senior business and government representatives from APEC's 21 Member Economies, that as an important source of regional security, APEC had an important role to play in combating regional terrorism.

"We are seeking increased cooperation between APEC with the Counter Terrorism Action Group of the G-8, The United Nations Security Council's Counter Terrorism Committee, the Organization of American States and ASEAN," Minister Bachelet told the meeting.

"Although APEC does not engage directly in security activities, the organization is increasingly regarded as an important source of regional stability. Such stability is fundamental for economic development."

Minister Bachelet highlighted the inseparability of economics with terrorism and a wide range of other security issues in an increasingly globalized world.

"The concept of security has been extended to include ideas of economic security, environmental security, food security, as well as concerns with international crime, illegal migration and various health threats.

"Today the challenges we face are more complex and continue to evolve. Security threats affect us in different ways according to our own realities.

"One of the most compelling challenges we have is to increase international cooperation in order to find common solutions to common problems."

The Second STAR Conference is a major forum for business to share with government their concerns and requirements in relation to countering the terrorist threat.

The first STAR Conference was held in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2003 led to a series of policy initiatives and measures that have increased regional security while facilitating the movement of legitimate goods, services and passengers across economic border.

The Second STAR Conference covers the four themes of:

Air Transportation Security

Maritime Security

Mobility of People

Financial Intelligence Units

The conference concludes on Saturday, March 6.



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Peter J. Baxter, Jane's Director of Global Consultancy Operations, will deliver the keynote address at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum Conference in Vina Del Mar, Chile, this evening. He will address an audience of trade representatives from throughout the world, speaking on such issues as the changing nature of collective security, security technology, and the relationships between government and industry in pursuit of secure trade.

In his speech, Mr. Baxter will examine the issue of government and private-sector spending on security technology, and will question whether this increased spending will ultimately prove to be an unsuccessful solution to security concerns that have arisen in the post-9/11 world. "Over the next few years, there will be tens of billions of dollars spent on security technology," says Baxter. "The only number that is more staggering is the percentage of that investment that will be proven to be a waste." He will address this issue as viewed through his experience as the director of Jane's Consultancy operation, which serves a global group of clients in a variety of market segments who require reliable assessments of international risk.

Mr. Baxter will also comment on the changing nature of collective security in the post-9/11 world, and the impact that these changes will have on international trade. "The nature of collective security
arrangements will likely change to reflect the transnational non-state threat targeting international trade," he says.

The speech, which is open to media delegates, will be delivered as part of a dinner to be held this evening as part of the two-day APEC conference, which is taking place today and Saturday. (END)

About APEC: The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) was established in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence among Asia-Pacific economies. Starting out as an informal dialogue group, APEC has now become the primary regional vehicle for promoting open trade and practical economic cooperation. Its goal is to advance Asia-Pacific economic dynamism and sense of community. APEC has 21 members - referred to as "Member Economies" - which account for more than 2.5 billion people, a combined GDP of 19 trillion US dollars and 47% of world trade. For more information, visit www.apec.org.

Jane's Consultancy provides focused and customised solutions to meet each client's individual needs, including rigorous red team security assessments; on-site analytical support; and impartial, thoroughly researched market evaluations. In his role as Director of Jane's Global Consultancy Operations, Peter Baxter orchestrates a worldwide network of managers and analysts to meet client proprietary requirements in the areas of defence, security, aerospace and transportation. In December 2003, Jane's Information Group was officially granted "Recognised Security Organisation" (RSO) status by the United Arab Emirates. Jane's Consultancy offers the high degree of personalised analysis required by the UAE. For further information, please visit http://consultancy.janes.com.



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Creating value through scientific advancement is a central issue to be addressed at the 5th APEC R&D Leaders' Forum in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 10-11.

The forum of business leaders, government officers and research scientists will also meet with Ministers from APEC Member Economies who are attending the Science Ministers' Meeting, which is being run at the same time.

Chair of the APEC R&D Leaders Forum, Dr. Chris Mallett, said working under the theme of 'capturing value from science' the forum brings together a wide range of experts, executives and government officials with common interests.

"The principle behind the APEC R&D Leaders Forum is how to enhance the capacity of science, technology and innovation to deliver sustainable growth across the APEC Region," Dr. Mallett said.

"This year the forum will also provide an opportunity for R&D Leaders to meet with APEC Science Ministers and provide direct input on a range of issues at a political level.

"What are the tangible benefits that people can expect from co-ordinated science and technology development? Are the benefits economic, environmental or social and what are the trade-offs between them?"

The forum will feature several presentations by senior executives, scientists and government representatives and a series of workshops on 'Managing Tensions in a Knowledge Society,' 'Creating Wealth from Science' and 'Leadership in Technology Convergence.'

The R&D Leaders' Forum was established in 1998 in response to the rapid technological advances occurring in APEC Member Economies. Speakers at the R&D Leaders' Forum are experts in their fields from a range of economies and include:

Professor Alan MacDiarmid, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2000)

Yoshio Matsumi, Executive Counsellor and General Manager, Innovative Technology Business Development Office, Itochu Corporation

Dr Christian Samper, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Dr Lee Ki-Won, Executive Vice President, Samsung Electronics Company

Professor Peter Hunter, Director, Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland

Dr Angus Livingstone, Managing Director of the University-Industry Liaison Office of the University of British Columbia

The R&D Leaders Forum will be run concurrently with the 4th APEC Ministers' Meeting on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation that runs from March 10-12.



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APEC Science and Technology Ministers will look at solutions to the worldwide shortage of information technology skills when they meet in Christchurch, New Zealand, this week.

Other issues before the 4th APEC Ministers' Meeting on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation relate to ensuring scientific and technological advancement is sustainable for all economies in the region.

The New Zealand Minister for Research, Science and Technology, Hon. Pete Hodgson, said while advances in science and technology are creating new opportunities, there is concern to ensure that requirements that come with these advances are sustainable for all APEC Member Economies.

"Scientific and technological discovery is moving at a dramatic pace and this has numerous implications for the global economy," Mr. Hodgson said.

"On the one hand we have new opportunities to develop increasingly effective medicines, improve living standards and develop products that are more environmentally friendly.

"At the same time breakthroughs in the science and technology sector require a much more highly skilled and specialized workforce to make the most of these opportunities.

"The problem for many developing areas is how they develop the skill base to fully compete in the new digital economy and not be left behind.

"Investment in human capacity building initiatives and ongoing education programs are essential if all APEC Member Economies are to fully compete in the modern global economy.

"Ministers at this meeting will have the opportunity to look at capacity building initiatives and ways to improve the scientific and information technology skills of people throughout the Asia-Pacific."

The theme of the Science Ministers' Meeting is "Enhancing the capacity of science, technology and innovation to deliver sustainable growth across the APEC region."

Mr. Hodgson said the City of Christchurch had welcomed delegates from APEC Member Economies and he expects the series of working visits by delegates to New Zealand smart industries would build firmer science and IT links around the APEC region.

Ministers will be greeted by a traditional Maori greeting tonight at the Christchurch Town Hall before the formal opening of the meeting by Mr. Hodgson, on Thursday Morning.



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The 5th APEC R&D Leaders' Forum has concluded in Christchurch, New Zealand, with a series of conclusions and recommendations for APEC Member Economies with a joint session with APEC Science Ministers.

Grouped according to four specific policy areas, the conclusions and recommendations are now available on by clicking here and are grouped according to four policy areas:

Connecting research and innovation

Human capacity building

International science and technology networks

Technology cooperation and best practice in strategic planning

The forum began on March 11 and brought together policy makers, business representatives and academics from around the APEC Region to look at current research and development challenges.

Working under the theme of "Capturing Value From Science" the forum featured a range of experts in their fields:

Professor Alan MacDiarmid, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2000)

Yoshio Matsumi, Executive Counsellor and General Manager, Innovative Technology Business Development Office, Itochu Corporation

Dr Christian Samper, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Dr Lee Ki-Won, Executive Vice President, Samsung Electronics Company

Professor Peter Hunter, Director, Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland

Dr Angus Livingstone, Managing Director of the University-Industry Liaison Office of the University of British Columbia

The 4th APEC Ministers' Meeting on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation was run concurrently with the APEC R&D Leaders Forum. The Ministers' Meeting Concludes on Friday.



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APEC has expressed serious concern to the European Union over possible EU trade restrictions caused by new EU regulations on the use of chemicals used in goods production.

In its letter to the European Commission dated March 11, the APEC Chemical Dialogue stated that the regulation on Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) system adopted by the EU Commission in October 2003 posed potential trade restrictions.

The Chemical Dialogue also warned that the greatest negative impact of the new European regulations would be felt by developing economies and small and medium enterprises.

The letter stated: "In our view, the REACH system is overly expansive, burdensome and costly. It has the potential to disrupt international chemical markets, burden downstream manufacturers, adversely impact trade, inhibit innovation, limit global competitiveness, and significantly increase costs. These concerns, which extend beyond APEC countries, also apply to downstream manufacturers of textiles and apparel, toys, electronics, and autos, among others.

"Although modest modifications have been made to the proposal, the competitiveness of the chemical industry under the REACH system remains in question. Small and medium enterprises in our region and those economies that depend on commodity exports for their economic growth would be severely affected, even under the revised proposal. Smaller foreign producers, including specialty chemical suppliers and downstream suppliers simply do not have the capacity for the data generation required under REACH. As a result, there is a potential for EU importers to deselect imported supplies, which are not only chemical substances but also articles containing chemical substances. Thus, REACH may create an inherent bias in favor of domestic EU suppliers."

The APEC Chemical Dialogue noted in the letter that while it shares Europe's goals to protect health, safety and the environment, the rules being imposed by the European Commission go beyond what is technically required to meet these ends.

"The WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) obligates members not to impose any system that is more trade restrictive than necessary. As noted above, we see possible trade restrictions arising from the registration, authorization and evaluation proposals that could have a severe impact on our domestic economies," the APEC Chemical Dialogue stated in the letter.



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APEC Science Ministers have agreed to undertake a program of research to identify the causes and seek solutions to the apparent shortfall in science and technology skills in the global economy.

In their Joint Communiqué following the 4th APEC Ministers' Meeting on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation, Ministers have also drawn attention to environmental and sustainability issues relating to science and technology development.

Ministers noted in the Communiqué: "Some evidence suggests that most economies face difficulties in training and retaining people with the needed science and technology (S&T) skills. We ask that Industrial Science and Technology Working Group (ISTWG) and other APEC working groups including the Human Resource Development Working Group (HRDWG) work together and consider how to promote further research on the supply and demand of needed science and technology skills within APEC economies.

"The focus of this study should be whether there is a world-wide shortage of S&T skills, or a mismatch between available skills and changing demands.

Depending on the results of this work, topics that could be considered for information exchange and further study by the two working groups are:

The demand for S&T skills in relation to the capacity of economies to educate and train researchers, scientists and secondary & tertiary teaching staff.

The main factors that encourage people to study and work in the S&T field (or discourage them from doing so).

The key factors behind skilled S&T staff moving across borders, either within APEC or to other countries.

"We underscored the need to ensure the workforce within APEC economies is equipped to meet the scientific and technological needs of today and the challenges of the future, and that it draws on the widest pool of talent, now and in the future."

Drawing attention to environmental and development issues, Ministers recognized that "the concept of sustainable growth is very broad, and extends well beyond the responsibilities of science portfolios.

"However, we are well aware that science and technology will play a pivotal role in APEC's ability to deliver sustainable growth," the Communiqué stated.

"We have noted the potential of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to improve the region's energy, environment and economic security, and that the Energy Working Group is developing a framework document on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies as directed by APEC Leaders.

"We ask Industrial Science and Technology Working Group and the Center for Technology Foresight to continue to collaborate with the APEC Energy Working Group in its research on the hydrogen economy."

Ministers also made a series of recommendations on sustainability that will be considered by other APEC Ministers throughout the year. These include a call for business leaders to take an increasingly sustainable approach to business practices.

The Communiqué stated: "Business leaders within APEC be encouraged to adopt a positive approach towards sustainability concepts as a way of establishing goals that will release the creativity of engineers and scientists."

Throughout their meetings on March 10-12 in Christchurch, New Zealand, a common theme has been the recognition of the link between globalisation and the development of new technologies.

The communiqué recognizes that: "Globalisation has profound implications for S&T. As economies become increasingly knowledge-based and subject to international flows of goods, services, people, investment and ideas, governments have a critical role in encouraging collaboration among universities, research institutions and business."

The Joint Communiqué and recommendations from Science Ministers will now be presented to other APEC Ministerial Meetings and APEC working groups.

The Communiqué specifically calls for Education Ministers to consider the issues arising in science and technology education at the APEC Education Ministers meet in Santiago, Chile, in April.

The Final Communiqué from the 4th APEC Ministers' Meeting on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation is available online at: www.apec.org



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An APEC counter terrorism conference has called for greater capacity building measures to expand the use of biometric passenger checks at border crossings and ports.

The Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Conference has also recommended that more APEC Member Economies introduce Advanced Passenger Information (API) systems to screen for illegal passenger movements. The recommendations appear in the Final Report from the STAR Conference that has been released and is now available online (www.apec.org).

The STAR Conference is a forum of senior government and business representatives from APEC's 21 Member Economies that examines measures intended to make trade safer in the region while ensuring trade is not obstructed by enhanced security measures.

In the workshop on business mobility and biometrics, the conference was briefed on the benefits provided by several biometric systems currently being used around the APEC Region. These include measures such as facial recognition using computer analysis, fingerprint checking and the identification of iris features.

However, as these new measures often require substantial resources and highly specialized skills for their implementation, the conference agreed that capacity building assistance was essential for a number APEC Member Economies.

The STAR Conference also shared additional information on the benefits and implementation issues associated with the expanded use of Advanced Passenger Information (API) programs in the APEC Region.

These programs enable passenger information to be checked against warning lists and other security databases before a passenger boards an international flight. This allows security agencies at the passenger's destination to process immigration details even before the passenger departs from their original location. The API system also serves to speed up the movement of passengers through immigration at their destination as pre-processing has already taken place.

API is currently part of an "APEC Pathfinder Initiative" in which economies are voluntarily operating the system or undertaking feasibility studies.

The establishment of a Regional Immigration Alert System that could be linked to Interpol?s new criminal database was also discussed by the participants at the STAR Conference.

The aim of the STAR Conference is to facilitate a dialogue between the business and government sectors on counter terrorism issues.

Recommendations from the STAR Conference will now be presented to APEC Leaders, Ministers and Officials for consideration and policy development.

Other areas that were discussed by the STAR Conference include Maritime Security, Air Transportation Security and Financial Intelligence Units.

The First APEC STAR Conference was held in Bangkok in 2003. The Second STAR Conference hosted by Chile on March 5-6 attracted over 300 delegates.



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Final STAR Report Now Released and Available Online

An APEC counter-terrorism conference has concluded that the dangers posed by man portable surface to air missiles in the hands of terrorists cannot be eliminated. As a consequence strict controls on the export and transfer of these missiles is deemed essential to reduce the threat they pose to civil aviation.

This recommendation was made by the Working Group on Air Transportation Security at the Second Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Conference that was held in Viña del Mar, Chile, on March 5-6. The Final Report from the STAR Conference has now been released and is now available online (www.apec.org).

In the dialogue on MANPADS, or Man Portable Air Defense Systems, the Working Group agreed that business and government coordination was essential to prevent their proliferation. The implementation of stringent import and export control policies by Member Economies was cited as the most effective measure that could be employed at the present time to prevent possible attacks.

Private sector speakers told the conference that equipment used by the military to counter MANPAD attacks was not feasible for commercial aviation applications. This was primarily because current military equipment requires extremely high levels of maintenance that would be difficult to meet in a civilian environment.

Given the range of these missiles, speakers said that it was very difficult to secure the large perimeter needed to adequately secure the approaches to airports.

The conference was told that although there were cases where modern jetliners had been struck by MANPADS they had all been able to land safely. Nevertheless, the threat that a missile might destroy a jetliner is real and APEC has an important role to play in preventing the proliferation of MANPADS. This is should be achieved by border policies and procedures that are included in the APEC agenda.

The STAR Conference was attended by over 300 senior business and government representatives from APEC's 21 Member Economies. The aim of the STAR initiative is to facilitate a dialogue between the business and government sectors on counter terrorism issues.

Recommendations from the STAR Conference will now be presented to APEC Officials, Ministers and Leaders for consideration in policy development.

Other areas that were discussed by the STAR Conference included Maritime Security, Business Mobility and Financial Intelligence Units.
The First APEC STAR Conference was held in Bangkok in 2003.



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APEC Senior Officials have agreed to strengthen regulatory measures intended to restrict the unauthorized copying of optical discs containing copyrighted material such as movies, music and computer programs.

The measures were outlined in the "Effective Practices for Regulation of Optical Disc Production" report that was prepared by the APEC Intellectual Property Rights Experts' Group (IPEG) and will now be presented to APEC Leaders for endorsement.

The recommendations offer another tool government agencies can use in the APEC region to combat copyright piracy stating that: "a regulatory means for the supervision of optical media production is simpler and more efficient than civil or criminal measures for addressing copyright violations."

The implementation of the recommendations have been agreed by Senior Officials on a pathfinder basis to be initiated by individual member economies.

The recommendations cover the four areas relating to the licensing of production facilities, enhanced legal enforcement measures, adequate penalties for violations and controls on the cross border movement of inputs to production that could be used by optical disc pirates.

The report was endorsed at the Concluding Senior Officials Meeting (CSOM) for the 2003 APEC year that was held on October 14-15. The CSOM meeting is the first in a series of APEC Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, in conjunction with the APEC Ministers Meeting on October 17-18 and the APEC Leaders' Meeting on October 20 -21.

Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, Ambassador Piamsak Milintachinda, said preventing optical disc piracy is important for promoting growth and jobs in the region.

"When someone copies movies, music or computer programs without the owners' consent, it is stealing from the people who created the original," Ambassador Milintachinda said.

"This discourages other people who might want to work in a knowledge based industry.

"These new recommendations are intended to get to the source of pirate operations by implementing measures to license operations that use machinery and other inputs to the mass production of optical discs.

"These measures will ensure records are kept and production facilities use equipment that applies source identification codes to all discs that it produces.

"The enforcement of licenses is integral to the success of these recommendations.

"It is expected that successful prosecutions by domestic authorities for copyright violations would deter optical disc piracy and highlight the importance of intellectual property rights.

"The export of inputs for the production of optical discs will also receive the attention of APEC members through measures that are consistent with WTO requirements."

The recommendations lay out a series of "key offences" that clearly identify the requirements of legitimate operators:

Manufacturing or duplicating discs or production parts without a license or registration or contrary to the terms of a license or registration.

Exporting discs, or importing/exporting production parts, raw materials, or machinery without a license or contrary to the terms of a license.

Forging license documents.

Manufacturing/producing discs at a place other than the licensed or registered premises.

Failing to apply the required allocated Identification Code.

A full copy of the "Effective Practices for Regulation of Optical Disc Production" report will be available on the APEC Secretariat Website after it has been presented to APEC Leaders on October 21.



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The Fifteenth APEC Ministerial Meeting has concluded in Bangkok and the following documents are now available on the APEC Secretariat Website via the following links:

-- SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES

-- JOINT STATEMENT OF THE MINISTERS

A listing of the subject areas covered in both the Summary of key issues and the Joint Statement of the Ministers is included at the end of this e-mail for easy reference.

The APEC Ministers' Meeting was held on October 17-18 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, and was chaired by Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dr. Adisai Bodharamik, Minister of Commerce of the Kingdom of Thailand.

At the meeting APEC Ministers reviewed the achievements of the 2003 APEC year hosted by the Kingdom of Thailand and agreed on initiatives for the 2004 APEC year to be hosted by the Republic of Chile.

The APEC Leaders' Meeting will now take place on October 20-21 in Bangkok.

FIFTEENTH APEC MINISTERIAL MEETING

SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES  

-- The WTO and the Multilateral Trading System
-- Trade and Investment Liberalization and Facilitation
-- Structural Reform
-- Capacity Building to Share Prosperity
-- Knowledge-Based Economy for All
-- Counter-Terrorism and Secure Trade
-- Creating a New Financial Architecture for APEC
-- Supporting SMEs and Micro-enterprises - the New Growth Enterprises
-- APEC Reform

FIFTEENTH APEC MINISTERIAL MEETING

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE MINISTERS

PARTNERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE

ACT ON DEVELOPMENT PLEDGE

-- World Trade Organization (WTO) 
-- Structural Reform
-- Trade and Investment Liberalization and Facilitation
-- Individual and Collective Action Plans
-- Trade Facilitation Action Plan
-- Leaders' Statement to Implement APEC Transparency Standards
-- Pathfinder Initiatives
-- Regional Trading Arrangements/Free Trade Agreements
-- APEC Business Advisory Council
-- APEC Business-Government Dialogues
-- Economic and Technical Cooperation and Capacity Building

KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY FOR ALL 
-- Intellectual Property Rights
-- Cybersecurity
-- Life Sciences Innovation
-- Innovative APEC
-- Biodiversity and Sustainable Development
-- Agricultural Biotechnology
-- Invasive Alien Species
-- Electronic Commerce
-- APEC Education Foundation and Cyber Education Cooperation Consortium
-- E-Learning
-- World Summit on the Information Society

PROMOTING HUMAN SECURITY 
-- Counter-terrorism
-- Response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Other Health Threats
-- Social Safety Nets and Workforce Retraining
-- Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC
-- Youth

FINANCIAL ARCHITECTURE FOR A WORLD OF DIFFERENCES
-- New Financial Architecture
-- Economic Research and Analysis

NEW GROWTH ENTERPRISES: SMES AND MICRO-ENTERPRISES

APEC REFORM

OTHER ISSUES

SOM Report to Ministers
-- APEC Secretariat
-- Statements by Observers

APEC 2004
-- Future Meetings

ANNEX A - STATEMENT TO IMPLEMENT APEC POLICIES ON TRADE AND THE DIGITAL ECONOMY 
-- General Objectives
-- Specific Objectives
-- Services
-- Intellectual Property
-- Tariffs
-- Future Work

The Fifteenth APEC Ministerial Meeting was attended by ministers from: Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; the People?s Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; the Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Republic of the Philippines; the Russian Federation; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; the United States of America; and Viet Nam. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) attended as observers.



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Bringing WTO negotiations back on track, enhancing security, building capacity, implementing transparency standards and ensuring business input into the APEC process were amongst the topics discussed in today's dialogue between APEC Economic Leaders and the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).

Dr. Viphandh Roengpithya, Chair of the ABAC, said that the dialogue with the leaders of the 21 APEC economies, offered a unique opportunity for business to present its perspective on economics and trade issues directly to some of the most powerful decision makers in the world.

"Our dialogue with leaders is a practical exchange of ideas between business and government on issues of mutual interest. This forum for frank and open discussion with so many influential decision makers in government and business is an essential component of furthering APEC's trade and liberalisation agenda," said Dr Roengpithya.

This year, Thailand made innovative changes the format of the dialogue to enable us to fully explore our key recommendations to leaders and to hear directly from them their views on advancing APEC's free and open trade goals."

The dialogue began with the ABAC Chair's statement to Leaders which ended on a strong note to press ahead with reconvening the WTO to the negotiating table. Dr Viphandh said that, throughout that lively free-discussion style dialogue, Leaders positively responded very directly to the concerns and recommendations of most interest to the business community, including the five main recommendations provided in the 2003 ABAC Report to APEC Economic Leaders.

In advance of the dialogue with Leaders, ABAC provided clear expression of concerns (see attached letter) that established a framework for discussion. ABAC members felt, at the conclusion of the dialogue that Leaders are looking seriously into the constructive input being provided by the business community.

With respect to ABAC's key recommendations to Leaders, Dr. Viphandh noted that "Prime Minister Thaksin expressed his desire for leaders to muster the necessary political will to send a clear and strong message that APEC is firmly committed to the multilateral trading system under the WTO and to the successful and timely conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda.

"He urged us, as prominent members of the business community, to tell our governments that we want them to pursue policies of free and open trade, that we want them to open up their markets and eliminate subsidies.

"On our second recommendation, that APEC implement initiatives to enhance secure and efficient trade, leaders expressed their understanding that business is rightly concerned about the cause burden that security measures may impose, but commended ABAC's recommendations on risk management and implementing technology solutions to ensure there is no adverse impact on trade and investment from security measures.

"Leaders agreed that it is essential to build the capacity of the individuals, institutions and government so that they can fully enjoy the benefits of globalization and will look seriously in to our call for comprehensive measures for capacity-building.

"Leaders welcomed our recommendation for APEC to address corporate governance and improve transparency and fully understand that our key business and investment decisions and confidence are affected by the quality and timeliness of information, good corporate governance and transparency.

"Leaders also appreciated our recommendation that APEC facilitate business input into the APEC process by ABAC and the private sector by continuing to explore ways in which ABAC can practically provide the views and concerns of business to APEC at all levels."

The private-sector arm of the APEC forum, ABAC is made up of up to three senior business representatives from each of APEC's 21 Member Economies. These representatives are appointed by their respective heads of economy to advise APEC Economic Leaders and Ministers on issues affecting regional business.



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