Status of 1999 APEC Leaders Commitments Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Washington, DC February 28, 2001

Enhanced Role of Competition and Regulatory Reform

In Auckland, New Zealand, last year, Leaders committed to enhancing the role of competition. They endorsed principles to enhance competition and regulatory reform.

• APEC's Competition Policy and Deregulation Workshop is developing strategies to implement the principles. -- A program for APEC-OECD cooperation on regulatory reform will focus on the principles for the next 2-3 years.

Improved Quality of Regulation

Leaders committed to improving the quality of regulation and the capacity of regulators to design and implement policies for sustainable growth.

• APEC's Subcommittee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC) developed information on best practices, providing APEC economies with guidance for adoption of efficient regulatory arrangements leading to reductions in technical barriers to trade. The SCSC will host three workshops next year on specific regulatory topics to facilitate implementation of the Principles.

Reduce Compliance Costs and Facilitate Business

APEC Leaders committed to reducing compliance costs and facilitating business growth.

• Since the last Leaders' meeting, APEC has placed a greater priority on trade facilitation issues, including the development of specific cost-cutting initiatives in the areas of customs and standards.

• In addition, APEC has intensified its work on nontariff measures, which will have the effect of lowering costs and facilitating business.

Pursue Greater Links among APEC Fora

Leaders instructed Ministers to pursue greater linkage among APEC fora and their work programs.

• A web site has been established that provides fast and easy access to information on all APEC economic and technical cooperation (ECOTECH) activity, facilitating links among APEC fora and their work programs. As a result, different bodies within APEC will easily be able to understand and coordinate their work.

Improve Delivery of ECOTECH and Capacity-Building Programs

Leaders directed Ministers to give special attention to improving effective delivery of economic and technical cooperation (ECOTECH). Leaders underlined the importance of cooperation in human and institutional capacity building, science and technology exchanges, and development of infrastructure.

• APEC fora have identified 220 ECOTECH projects underway on developing human capital, capital markets, economic infrastructure, future technologies, the growth of SMEs, and environmentally sustainable development.

• Arrangements are being developed to respond more quickly and approve urgent projects in response to directions from APEC Leaders or Ministers.

Implement and Monitor the APEC Food System</p>

Leaders instructed Ministers to implement and monitor annually progress toward achieving the APEC Food System, a high priority for the private sector proposed by ABAC.

• APEC has developed specific activities to help in the development of rural infrastructure, dissemination of technological advances in food production and processing, and promotion of trade in food products.

• The APEC-PECC Rural Integration for Sustainable Economies (RISE) project targets improved rural infrastructure development to alleviate urban migration and the dissemination of technological advances in food production, processing, and sustainable growth.

• APEC has developed a work program for biotechnology aimed at dissemination of technological advances in food production and processing.

• Ministers also endorsed a plan to improve the technical capabilities of regulators in the use of sound science in the assessment of food safety and environmental risks.

Support Launch of New Round

APEC Leaders committed to the launch of a new round of negotiations in the World Trade Organization. Leaders committed not to impose new or more restrictive trade measures for the duration of the negotiations.

• APEC continues to play a constructive role in the WTO by supporting an early launch of a new round of multilateral trade negotiations.

• APEC also supports preparatory work on industrial tariffs, as endorsed by APEC Trade Ministers in Darwin in June 2000.

• APEC is developing a strategic plan aimed at capacity building to facilitate implementation of members' WTO commitments.

Review Implementation of Framework on Integration of Women

Leaders committed to review implementation of the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC, which will enable more women to contribute to and benefit from prosperity in the region.

• APEC's Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Gender Integration (AGGI) works with senior officials and other APEC fora to implement the framework. AGGI compiles best practices on gender integration, and provides recommendations on additional action for gender integration and implementation of the framework.

• Gender criteria for APEC project proposals, approval, and evaluation were developed by the AGGI and approved.

• In another AGGI project, at least 15 APEC fora participated in Gender Information Sessions explaining the framework and the meaning of gender analysis. The United States led three of the sessions.

• The U.S. Census Bureau is managing the AGGI's APEC-funded project on "Analysis and Evaluation of Gender Statistics", a major U.S. contribution to the implementation of the framework. Training provided in this project will strengthen capabilities in gender analysis and dissemination of gender related data to assist policymakers in decisionmaking.

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