INTRODUCTION

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim countries (formally Member Economies) that seeks to promote free trade and economic cooperation throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Established in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence of AsiaPacific economies and the advent of regional trade blocs in other parts of the world, initially, with the notion to the likely dominance of the sphere of economic influences of the highly industrialized Japan (a member of G8) in the Asia-Pacific region and for the economic interests of Australian agricultural/raw material products to search for new buyers other than the demanddeclining European market, APEC works gradually (to include members of Newly industrialized economy at the time, although the agenda of free trade was a sensitive issue for the developing NIEs, and for ASEAN economies to explore new export market opportunities of the natural resources such as natural gas and seek regional economic integration (industrial integration) by means of foreign direct investment on the behalf of ASEAN) to raise living standards and education levels through sustainable economic growth and to foster a sense of community and an appreciation of shared interests among Asia-Pacific countries. Members account for approximately 40% of the world's population, approximately 54% of the world's gross domestic product and about 44% of world trade. For APEC Economic Trends Analysis in 2012, see. An annual APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is attended by the heads of government of all APEC members except Republic of China (represented under the name Chinese Taipei) by a ministerial-level official. The location of the meeting rotates annually among the member economies, and until 2011, a famous tradition involved the attending leaders dressing in a national costume of the host member.

HISTORY
In January 1989, Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke called for more effective economic cooperation across the Pacific Rim region. This led to the first meeting of APEC in the Australian capital of Canberra in November, chaired by Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Gareth Evans. Attended by political ministers from twelve countries, the meeting concluded with commitments for future annual meetings in Singapore and South Korea.

Countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opposed the initial proposal, instead proposing the East Asia Economic Caucus which would exclude non-Asian countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This plan was opposed and strongly criticized by Japan and the United States.

The first APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting occurred in 1993 when U.S. President Bill Clinton, after discussions with Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, invited the heads of government from member economies to a summit on Blake Island. He believed it would help bring the stalled Uruguay Round of trade talks back on track. At the meeting, some leaders called for continued reduction of barriers to trade and investment, envisioning a community in the AsiaPacific region that might promote prosperity through cooperation. The APEC Secretariat, based in Singapore, was established to coordinate the activities of the organization.

During the meeting in 1994 in Bogor, Indonesia, APEC leaders adopted the Bogor Goals that aim for free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific by 2010 for industrialized economies and by 2020 for developing economies. In 1995, APEC established a business advisory body named the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), composed of three business executives from each member economy.

DISCUSSION
APEC currently has 21 members, including most countries with a coastline on the Pacific Ocean. However, the criterion for membership is that the member is a separate economy, rather than a state. As a result, APEC uses the term member economies rather than member countries to refer to its members. One result of this criterion is that membership of the forum includes Taiwan (officially the Republic of China, participating under the name "Chinese Taipei") alongside People's Republic of China (see Cross-Strait relations), as well as Hong Kong, which entered APEC as a British colony but it is now a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. APEC Members Australia Brunei Darussalam Canada Chile People's Republic of China Hong Kong, China Indonesia Japan Republic of Korea Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Papua New Guinea Peru The Philippines Russia Singapore Chinese Taipei Thailand Date of Joining 6-7 Nov 1989 6-7 Nov 1989 6-7 Nov 1989 11-12 Nov 1994 12-14 Nov 1991 12-14 Nov 1991 6-7 Nov 1989 6-7 Nov 1989 6-7 Nov 1989 6-7 Nov 1989 17-19 Nov 1993 6-7 Nov 1989 17-19 Nov 1993 14-15 Nov 1998 6-7 Nov 1989 14-15 Nov 1998 6-7 Nov 1989 12-14 Nov 1991 6-7 Nov 1989

The United States Viet Nam

6-7 Nov 1989 14-15 Nov 1998

APEC's Three Pillars

To meet the Bogor Goals, APEC carries out work in three main areas: 1. Trade and Investment Liberalisation 2. Business Facilitation 3. Economic and Technical Cooperation APEC and Trade Liberalisation According to the organization itself, when APEC was established in 1989 average trade barriers in the region stood at 16.9 percent, but had been reduced to 5.5% in 2004. APEC's Business Facilitation Efforts APEC has long been at the forefront of reform efforts in the area of business facilitation. Between 2002 and 2006 the costs of business transactions across the region was reduced by 6%, thanks to the APEC Trade Facilitation Action Plan (TFAPI). Between 2007 and 2010, APEC hopes to achieve an additional 5% reduction in business transaction costs. To this end, a new Trade Facilitation Action Plan has been endorsed. According to a 2008 research brief published by the World Bank as part of its Trade Costs and Facilitation Project, increasing transparency in the region's trading system is critical if APEC is to meet its Bogor Goal targets. The APEC Business Travel Card, a travel document for visa-free business travel within the region is one of the concrete measures to facilitate business. In May 2010 Russia joined the scheme, thus completing the circle. Proposed Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific APEC is considering the prospects and options for a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), which would include all APEC member economies. Since 2006, the APEC Business Advisory Council, promoting the theory that a free trade area has the best chance of converging the member nations and ensuring stable economic growth under free trade, has lobbied for the

creation of a high-level task force to study and develop a plan for a free trade area. The proposal for a FTAAP arose due to the lack of progress in the Doha round of World Trade Organization negotiations, and as a way to overcome the "spaghetti bowl" effect created by overlapping and conflicting elements of the umpteen free trade agreementsthere are approximately 60 free trade agreements, with an additional 117 in the process of negotiation in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. The FTAAP is more ambitious in scope than the Doha round, which limits itself to reducing trade restrictions. The FTAAP would create a free trade zone that would considerably expand commerce and economic growth in the region. The economic expansion and growth in trade could exceed the expectations of other regional free trade areas such as the ASEAN Plus Three (ASEAN + China, Japan, and South Korea). Some criticisms include that the diversion of trade within APEC members would create trade imbalances, market conflicts and complications with nations of other regions. The development of the FTAAP is expected to take many years, involving essential studies, evaluations and negotiations between member economies. It is also affected by the absence of political will and popular agitations and lobbying against free trade in domestic politics.

Objectives
The current member economies represent the rich diversity of the region as well as differing levels of economic growth. Despite such differences there is a growing sense of common purpose and cooperation aimed at sustained regional and world growth. In the 1991 Seoul APEC Declaration, APEC members agreed on specific objectives: to sustain the growth and development of the region for the common good of its peoples and, in this way, to contribute to the growth and development of the world economy; to enhance the positive gains, both for the region and the world economy, resulting from increasing economic interdependence, to include encouraging the flow of goods, services, capital, and technology; to develop and strengthen the open multilateral trading system in the interest of AsiaPacific and all other economies; and

to reduce barriers to trade in goods and services among participants in a manner consistent with GATT principles, where applicable, and without detriment to other economies.

The Declaration also recognized "the important contribution of the private sector to the dynamism of APEC economies". The ministers committed APEC "to enhance and promote the role of the private sector and the application of free market principles in maximizing the benefits of regional cooperation." The Seoul Declaration set forth a commitment among APEC ministers to meet annually and hold informal discussions to strengthen and reaffirm the agreed objectives, and to realize the goals of free and open trade and investment in the region. The series of annual economic leaders' informal meetings began in 1993. On 20 November 1993, APEC economic leaders, hosted by U.S. President Clinton, met for the first time at Blake Island, Seattle, Washington to hold informal discussions. Their vision was for an Asia-Pacific that harnesses the energy of its diverse economies, strengthens cooperation, and promotes prosperity, in which the spirit of openness and partnership deepens and dynamic growth continues, contributing to an expanding world economy and supporting an open international trading system. They envisioned continued reduction of trade and investment barriers so that trade expands within the region and with the world, and goods, services, capital, and investment flow freely among APEC economies. People in APEC economies would share the benefits of economic growth through higher incomes, high skilled and high paying jobs and increased mobility. Improved education and training would produce rising literacy rates, provide the skills for maintaining economic growth and encourage the sharing of ideas that contribute to the arts and sciences. Advances in telecommunications would shrink time and distance barriers in the region and link APEC economies so that goods and people move quickly and efficiently. Finally, they envisioned an Asia-Pacific in which the environment is improved as APEC economies protect the quality of air, water, and green spaces and manage energy sources and renewable resources to ensure sustainable growth and provide a more secure future On 15 November 1994, Indonesian President Soeharto hosted the second meeting of APEC economic leaders who discussed where the economies of the region need to go in the next 25

years. In their Declaration of Common Resolve, the economic leaders agreed to achieve the goal of free and open trade and investment in the region no later than 2010 for the industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies. The economic leaders further agreed to narrow the gap in the stages of development among Asia-Pacific economies. To this end, APEC will provide opportunities for developing economies to increase further their economic growth and level of development consistent with sustainable growth, equitable development, and member economy stability. In Osaka on 19 November 1995, APEC economic leaders initiated the work of translating the Blake Island vision and the Bogor goals into reality. They adopted the Osaka Action Agenda, a blueprint for implementing their commitment to free and open trade and investment, business facilitation, and economic and technical cooperation. Part I of the Action Agenda deals with trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. Part II deals with economic and technical cooperation in areas such as energy and transportation, infrastructure, small and medium enterprises, and agricultural technology. A Trade and Investment Liberalization & Facilitation (TILF) Special Account was established under the APEC Central Fund for APEC projects that support implementation of the Osaka Action Agenda.

The Manila Action Plan for APEC (MAPA), adopted by economic leaders on 25 November 1996, includes the individual and collective action plans and progress reports on joint activities of all APEC economies to achieve the Bogor objectives of free and open trade and investment in the APEC region by 2010 and 2020, and joint activities among members under Part II of the Osaka Action Agenda. MAPA revolves around six themes: greater market access in goods; enhanced market access in services; an open investment regime; reduced business costs; an open and efficient infrastructure sector, and strengthened economic and technical cooperation. Current joint activities include the APEC Educational Network (EduNet), the Asia-Pacific Energy Research Center (APERC), the APEC Labor Market Information Network (LMI), and the Trade and Investment Data Database. Economic leaders further instructed that high priority be given to the following themes in economic and technical cooperation in six areas: developing human capital; fostering safe and efficient capital markets; strengthening economic infrastructure;

harnessing technologies of the future; promoting environmentally sustainable growth; and encouraging the growth of small and medium enterprises.

APEC priorities in 1997

In Subic, APEC economic leaders directed ministers to begin implementation of the MAPA on 1 January 1997, with the first annual review to take place at the 1997 APEC Ministerial Meeting in Vancouver. Goals for APEC in 1997 include full implementation and improvement of the Individual Action Plans for trade and investment liberalization, update of Collective Action Plans, recommendations on sectors for early voluntary liberalization, and further APEC support for the programs of the World Trade Organization as a means to strengthen the multilateral system. Emphasis is also being placed on practical APEC measures leading to a better business environment, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises, developed in cooperation with the business/private sector. As directed by economic leaders in Subic, ministers have agreed to intensify work on trade facilitation, including simplifying customs clearance procedures, providing better information on government procurement and investment regimes, and alignment of member economy standards with international standards in priority areas. APEC discussions throughout 1997 in key issues of cooperation such as transportation, energy, and environmental protection will help develop an integrated framework for infrastructure development in the region as mandated by economic leaders. APEC's goals of sustainable growth and equitable development will also be advanced in 1997 through implementation of the APEC Framework for Economic Development Cooperation. Economic leaders' instructions to involve youth and women in APEC's economic and technical cooperation agenda will also be addressed in 1997, as part of efforts to better involve the broader public. APEC's work on sustainability will be pursued through a framework integrating social and environmental considerations into economic decision making, including the interim report to economic leaders on the linkages among economic development, population, food and energy supplies, and the environment. Business has been the primary contributor to the explosive growth in the Asia-Pacific region. The continuing globalization of business means that the APEC economies must develop regionwide practices and policies to ease the free flow of goods, services, investment and capital within

the region. APEC aims to achieve concrete and pragmatic results which will benefit business, contribute to increased income and create jobs in the region. A major APEC goal is to increase involvement by business in APEC. Business expertise and resources can help APEC achieve its objectives and business is a key constituency for APEC both regionally and in individual member economies. APEC economic leaders receive business sector advice from the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) which was established in 1996. Businesses are participating in many of APEC's working groups to help shape the policy dialogue in partnership with member economy officials.

Organization and Process

APEC operates by consensus. In 1991, members committed themselves to conducting their activities and work programs on the basis of open dialogue with equal respect for the views of all participants. The APEC Chair, which rotates annually among all members, is responsible for hosting the annual ministerial meeting of foreign and economic ministers. At the 1989 Canberra Ministerial Meeting, it was agreed that it would be appropriate that every alternate ministerial meeting be held in an ASEAN economy. Senior Officials Meetings (SOM) are held regularly prior to every ministerial meeting. APEC senior officials make recommendations to the Ministers and carry out their decisions. They oversee and coordinate, with approval from ministers, the budgets and work programs of the committees and working groups. At the 1992 Bangkok Ministerial Meeting, APEC ministers agreed to establish a permanent APEC secretariat in Singapore. They approved a budget to support the Secretariat and the work programs of APEC's committees and working groups. At the 1993 APEC Ministerial Meeting in Seattle, ministers agreed to establish a permanent Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI). A Budget and Administrative Committee (BAC) was also established to handle APEC's increasingly complex budget and administrative issues. Ministers in Jakarta in 1994 established an Economic Committee and a Policy Level Group on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). In Osaka in November 1995, ministers agreed to establish the APEC Business Advisory Council. In Manila in 1996, ministers adopted the MAPA and the Declaration on an APEC Framework for Strengthening Economic Cooperation and Development. The latter identifies the themes, specific goals and guiding

principles that will govern the nature and character of a strengthened economic and technical cooperation towards an Asia-Pacific community. APEC member economies have hosted a number of other ministerial meetings for ministers of education, energy, environment and sustainable development, finance, human resources development, regional science and technology cooperation, small and medium enterprises, telecommunications and information industry, trade, and transportation. In November 1995 in Osaka, APEC economic leaders established a permanent senior business advisory council, composed of up to three business people from each of APEC's eighteen member economies, to provide advice on implementation of the Osaka Action Agenda and on other specific business sector priorities. In its first report in November 1996, APEC means business: Building prosperity for our community, ABAC recommended the removal of certain impediments to cross-border flows of goods, capital and business people, enhanced protection for foreign investors, expanded private investment in infrastructure projects, an improved environment for small and medium-sized enterprises, and private sector participation in economic and technical cooperation. In November 1996, ABAC members met with APEC economic leaders in Manila to discuss these recommendations. In 1997, ABAC will work on ways to implement the 1996 recommendations and will continue to assess APEC's commitments in the MAPA to liberalize trade and investment. ABAC's committees cover cross-border flows; finance/investment/infrastructure issues; economic and technical cooperation; and small and medium-sized enterprises. APEC will respond to the 1996 recommendations of ABAC at the Vancouver meetings, with a focus on the flagship recommendations identified for action in the 1996 ABAC report. ABAC members will meet again with APEC ministers and economic leaders in November 1997 in Vancouver. ABAC was preceded by the Pacific Business Forum (PBF), which economic leaders set up in 1993 "to identify issues APEC should address to facilitate regional trade and investment and encourage the further development of business networks throughout the region." The PBF prepared two reports for economic leaders: A Business Blueprint for APEC: Strategies for Growth and Common Prosperity (1994) and The Osaka Action Plan: Roadmap to Realizing the APEC Vision (1995). Likewise, in 1992, APEC ministers set up an independent, nongovernmental Eminent Persons Group (EPG, 1993-1995) to develop a vision for the region as

well as to recommend how to achieve and implement the vision. The EPG published three reports: A Vision for APEC: Towards an Asia-Pacific Economic Community (1993), Achieving the APEC Vision: Free and Open Trade in the Asia Pacific Region (1994), and Implementing the APEC Vision (1995). At each year's Ministerial Meeting, members define and fund work programs for APEC's three committees, ad hoc policy level group, ten working groups, and other APEC fora. Committees are working on issues such as trade and investment facilitation and liberalization, providing information and analysis on economic trends, and APEC administration and budget issues. Working groups promote practical economic and technical cooperation in areas such as infrastructure rationalization, technology flow, education and training, environmentally sound development and protection of scarce resources. Much of their work in 1997 will be to implement individual and collective action plans and joint activities in response to the 1995 Osaka Action Agenda and the 1996 MAPA. APEC members have used APEC fora to build practical links between their official representatives, business sectors, academic communities and, lately, NGOs/civil society.

Committees
The Committee on Trade and Investment: In 1993, APEC ministers adopted a Declaration on a Trade and Investment Framework to increase economic activity and facilitate the flow of goods and services among member economies. Based on the Declaration, ministers formed the Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI). The committee's aims are to create an APEC perspective on trade and investment issues and to pursue liberalization and facilitation initiatives. The CTI is responsible to senior officials for coordinating APEC's work on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. The CTI is one of the key APEC organs in terms of implementing the liberalization and facilitation components of the Osaka Action Agenda, including work on Tariffs, Non-tariff Measures, Services, Deregulation, Dispute Mediation, Uruguay Round implementation, Investment, Customs Procedures, Standards and Conformance, Mobility of Business People, Intellectual Property Rights, Competition Policy, Government Procurement and Rules of Origin. The current CTI chair is New Zealand.

The Economic Committee was established in November 1994 when APEC ministers agreed to transform the Ad Hoc Group on Economic Trends and Issues into a formal committee. The Committee's main role is to analyze economic trends and to undertake research studies on specific economic issues, particularly cross-cutting issues. Each year the Committee prepares a medium-term economic outlook for the region, which in 1997 will focus on the theme of "Open Regionalism". The Committee's 1997 research program includes work on the economic impact of trade liberalization; the impact of investment rule-making and liberalization; sub-regionalism's significance and impact on APEC; economic instruments for environmental protection; intraregional migration; the information society; and cost and productivity trends and patterns of specialization in APEC. Implementation of APEC's work program on economic infrastructure is the responsibility of the Economic Committee. This work aims to facilitate greater private sector investment in the region's infrastructure by encouraging the removal of impediments and creating a more predictable, transparent investment environment. An Action Program of cooperative activities is being undertaken by the Infrastructure Workshop, chaired by Indonesia. A feature of the program is the creation of an annual dialogue session with the business/private sector, to be held in Los Cabos, Mexico in 1997. The Committee is also addressing the impact of expanding population and economic growth on food, energy and the environment and, as part of this activity, oversees the work of the Task Force on Food. The current EC Chair is Canada.

The Budget and Administrative Committee (BAC) advises APEC senior officials on budgetary, administrative and managerial issues. It assesses and makes recommendations on the budget structure, considers budget requests, drafts the annual APEC budget and examines all questions relating to the APEC budget and budgetary process. In addition, it is empowered by the senior officials to monitor and evaluate the operations and overall performance of working groups and make recommendations to the Senior Officials Meeting for improved efficiency and effectiveness. The BAC holds two regular meetings in a year. In 1997, Japan chairs the BAC. Apart from its ongoing examination of financial accounts and funding requests, the BAC's work in 1997 includes a review of the document classification system, the adoption of a comprehensive guidebook on the financial procedures for projects seeking APEC funding, and examination of the strategy for APEC publications.

The Ad Hoc Policy Level Group on Small and Medium Enterprises (PLGSME), established in 1995, oversees activities for SMEs across all APEC groups. There is a consensus in APEC that free trade and economic globalization have implications, challenges, and opportunities for SMEs. Since 1995, the group has organized workshops. In 1996, the workshop authorized Chinese Taipei to publish the APEC Directory of Support Organizations for Small and Medium Enterprises. As part of its action program, five major priorities are identified for the development of SMEs: human resources development; information access; technology and technology sharing; financing; and market access. The third meeting of ministers in charge of SMEs was held in the Philippines in September 1996, and on that occasion the APEC Center for Technology Exchange and Training for Small and Medium Enterprise was inaugurated in Los Ba-os, Laguna, Philippines. The fourth ministerial meeting will be hosted by Canada in September 1997.

The Energy Working Group began in 1990 and has developed the energy component of APEC's Action Agenda. A major focus of the Group over the next two years will be to: Improve regional energy security through the provision by the newly established Asia Pacific Energy Research Center of high quality information on regional energy supply and demand trends; Introduce reforms to mobilize business investment in power sector infrastructure; Develop a program of work to promote the uptake of environmentally sound energy technologies and processes; and Develop proposals for establishing a basis on which mutual acceptance of accredited test facilities and standard test results obtained at these facilities can be achieved. A second meeting of Energy Ministers will be held in Canada in August 1997.

The Fisheries Working Group, established in 1991, aims to maximize the economic benefits and sustainability of fisheries resources for all APEC members. Its work complements and

contributes to the work of other international and regional fisheries organisations in the Pacific and is related to compliance issues and co-ordination based on member economy inspection systems, standards, and other requirements aimed at improved seafood inspection regimes in APEC member economies. Since 1996, the working group has been conducting a four-year study of fisheries sector trade and investment liberalization in the areas of tariffs, non-tariff measures, investment measures, and subsidies. The group will also implement a project entitled "APEC markets for airshipped live and fresh food fish" and conduct a workshop addressing destructive fishing techniques with a focus on cyanide fishing in an effort to conserve natural resources and protect the marine environment.

The Human Resources Development Working Group, established in 1990, has five subgroups or networks. The Business Management Network (BMN) focuses on executive education and development and management for organizational change; the Human Resources in Industrial Technology Network (HURDIT) is involved in technical and professional standards and identification of skill shortages; the Network for Economic Development Management (NEDM) looks at the regional labor market, small and medium enterprises, environment, gender and equity issues and the use of human resources in economic development; the Education Forum (EDFOR) concentrates on the performance of education systems in preparing people for a rapidly changing labor market; and the Labor Market Information Group (LMI) serves as a forum for the exchange of information on labor market trends in APEC. The First APEC HRD Ministerial Meeting in Manila, January 1996, called upon the working group to develop plans to analyze the regional labor market, manage and strengthen SMEs, facilitate mobility of persons, liberalize and facilitate trade in services, and implement executive education. The Second APEC HRD Ministerial Meeting will be held in Seoul on 25-26 September 1997. The working group, which is engaged in more than 80 projects, has three cross-cutting themes: SMEs, Sustainable Development and Lifelong Learning. The recent HRD working group meeting, held in Sydney on 20-23 January 1997, formulated a Medium Term Strategic Priorities and its accompanying work plan and agreed to undertake an organizational review.

The APEC Study Centers have established a network of institutions of higher education and advanced research which: encourage advanced, collaborative, policy-relevant research on issues important to APEC, including an ongoing assessment of the "APEC process" itself and an evaluation of APEC activities in a regional and global context, facilitate exchanges of students and faculty, provide opportunities for mutually beneficial training, and promote greater knowledge of member economies and APEC through courses and public education activities. Since the Blake Island Meeting, most APEC economies have identified an educational institution or consortium as their officially designated APEC Study Center. It was agreed by the APEC members that the study center concept should be implemented flexibly. APEC members participate voluntarily. Each Study Center is responsible for managing its individual contribution, including program funding. The Study Centers bring an analytical rigor and academic strength to the APEC process and help to promote dialogue between government policy makers and the academic community. Furthermore, they promote the study of regional economic issues and the setting up of a network of research institutions and scholars working on APEC themes throughout the region.

The Industrial Science and Technology Working Group, set up in 1990, has six priority areas of cooperation laid out in the Osaka Action Agenda: improved flow of information and technology, improved researcher exchange and HRD in industrial science and technology, facilitation of joint research projects, improved transparency of regulatory frameworks, contribution to sustainable development, and enhanced policy dialogue and review. The working group has completed ten projects and is now engaged in about forty projects. It has held seminars, workshops and symposia, including the first APEC Technomart in Taejon in May 1995. The working group supported the First and Second APEC Ministers' Conferences on Regional Science and Technology Cooperation held in Beijing in October 1995 and in Seoul in November 1996 respectively. The working group holds two regular meetings a year.

The Marine Resource Conservation Working Group promotes initiatives among APEC member economies to protect the marine environment and resources, and ensures continuing socio-economic benefits by maintaining the quality of the marine environment. A five-year follow-up program on the management of red tide and harmful algal blooms in the APEC region is being implemented beginning in 1996. The working group is also conducting follow-up programs to the UNCED Ocean Chapter in the Region. A workshop was held in 1996 to share ideas and insights on integrated coastal zone management approaches for semi-closed bays. As the result of the integrated coastal zone management project, a publication containing information on land-based sources of pollution in member economies will be published in 1997. The project on the Ocean Model and Information System for the APEC Region will be implemented from 1997 to 2002 and a workshop is scheduled for late 1997 to address incidence and impacts of destruction, legislative and regulatory affairs, promotion of environmentally friendly fishing practices, and protection of coral reef environments. The group is also preparing an Action Plan for Sustainability of the Marine Environment within APEC to be considered by the APEC Environment Ministerial Meeting on Sustainable Development.

The Telecommunications Working Group was formed in 1990 to address human resource development, technology transfer and regional cooperation, opportunities for on-site visits/observerships/fellowships, and telecommunications standardization. The 1995 Seoul Declaration on an Asia Pacific Information Infrastructure (APII), adopted at the first APEC Ministerial Meeting on Telecommunications and Information, contains ten core principles aimed at facilitating trade and investment. In 1996, the working group set up steering groups for Liberalization, Business Facilitation, Development Cooperation, and Human Resources Development. These four subgroups are developing a telecommunications action plan and a series of collective actions for trade and investment liberalization in the sector on areas such as conformance to the Guidelines for Trade in International Value Added Network Services (IVANS), and finalization by 1997 of a model mutual recognition arrangement for trade in telecommunications equipment. The Second Ministerial Meeting took place in September 1996. Ministers adopted the Gold Coast Declaration containing a Program for Action to further guide

APEC activities in the sector, in which they also recognized a Reference List of Elements of a Fully Liberalized Telecommunication Sector - adopted by the working group - as representing elements expected to be present in each economy by or before the 2010/2020 Bogor timetable.

The Tourism Working Group plans to achieve long-term environmental and social sustainability of the tourism industry and its economic impact, through human resources development, an enlarged role for the business/private sector in policy formulation, removing barriers to tourism movement and investment by liberalizing trade in services associated with tourism, and using tourism as a means to achieve sustainable economic development and mutual understanding among APEC member economies. It has also studied tourism and environment issues to highlight the diversity of circumstances and best practices among APEC economies between tourism growth, and the natural and cultural environments. The group has published a learning package covering key tourism management and marketing issues for tourism public administrators. It is studying impediments to tourism growth in the region as a step towards identifying challenges to be addressed in building an efficient infrastructure sector that would benefit the development of the tourism sector. The working group, which already benefits from the participation as guests by the World Tourism Organization, the Pacific Asia Travel Association and the World Travel Tourism Council, is building links with the business/private sector aiming to work together on group activities.

The Trade and Investment Data Review Working Group started in 1990. The working group has concentrated on improving the comparability of published data of merchandise trade and has started work on trade in services and international investment data among member economies in order to minimize the discrepancies in merchandise and services trade statistics and investment flows data. The working group began developing the APEC database called TIDDB, initially with merchandise trade data and then with services trade and international investment data. In the process of developing its own databases, the working group has reviewed the international trade data holdings of other international organizations to avoid duplication. The working group has completed the establishment of the TIDDB system, the server of which is now installed in

the APEC Secretariat. The working group has run workshops to provide experts with the technical expertise they need for the current projects.

The Trade Promotion Working Group. Trade promotion has been for APEC a significant area for regional economic cooperation. The group has held eight meetings since it first met in Seoul in June 1990. Its work centers on trade promotion activities, trade financing, trade skills and training, trade information, and business sector participation. The working group has provided the business community with information through APEC-Net and publication of the APEC Trade-Show Directory. It has held a venture capital workshop and a seminar on a credit guarantee system to exchange views on trade financing. It demonstrates its interest in business engagement through the APEC International Trade Fair and the Asia-Pacific Business Network and its meeting back-to back with the meetings of the APEC Trade Promotion Organization. The working group will hold the second APEC Trade Fair in June 1997. The working group is now focusing its efforts to facilitate strategic business alliances among enterprises in the APEC region.

The Transportation Working Group. The vast distances which characterize the Asia-Pacific region and the dynamic growth of its economies underscore the importance of adequate transportation to guarantee further development. The Transportation Working Group has brought public sector transportation experts together with the business sector to increase the efficiency of the regional transportation system. A very important effort has been going on for several years to identify transportation congestion points in the region. This project will enhance knowledge about common problems in the transportation sector and best practices to solve them. The group has also been addressing issues like efficient and safe services, increasing demand and the urgency for optimization on the use of technical systems. It has published surveys of transportation systems and directories of policy institutions and transportation research centers in Asia-Pacific. Transportation ministers first met in Washington, D.C. in June 1995 and will meet again in Victoria, B.C., Canada in June 1997.

By strengthening agricultural technical cooperation, APEC economies are seeking to enhance the capability of agriculture and its related industries to contribute to economic growth and social well-being. The inaugural meeting of Agricultural Technical Cooperation experts (ATC) was held in Taipei in June 1995. At that meeting, ATC experts agreed on a work program for agricultural technical cooperation. The areas identified for cooperation were: conservation and utilization of plant and animal genetic resources; research, development and extension of agricultural biotechnology; marketing, processing and distribution of agricultural products; plant and animal quarantine and pest management; cooperative development of an agricultural finance system; and agricultural technology transfer and training. Subsequently, sustainable agriculture was identified as an additional area for technical cooperation. At the second ATC meeting in Canberra in May 1996, a framework for undertaking these cooperative activities was developed, and the next meeting will review the progress made in implementing the work program. In October 1996, the importance of the work on agricultural technical cooperation was recognised with the establishment of the ATC Experts' Group as a formal APEC body with an ongoing role.

At Blake Island in 1993, economic leaders gave a call to action to APEC members to manage their resources in such a way as to ensure that growth takes sustainability into consideration. APEC addresses environment/sustainable development as a key cross-cutting issue relevant to all APEC fora and many APEC activities. APEC ministers responsible for the environment are concerned with the broad issue of sustainable development for the region. The Ministerial Meeting on Sustainable Development in Manila in 1996 moved the issue forward by developing an action program integrating economic and environmental considerations. In Subic, economic leaders endorsed this initial focus on three sustainable development priority issues of Sustainable Cities, Cleaner Production/Clean Technology, and Sustainability of the Marine Environment. At the Environment Ministerial Meeting on Sustainable Development in Toronto on 9-11 June 1997, ministers will determine specific action items to further advance each of these themes in their ongoing efforts to promote sustainable development, as well as provide environmental input to the 1995 economic leaders' initiative on the Impact of Expanding Population and Economic Growth on Food, Energy and the Environment (FEEEP). APEC senior officials annually review sustainable development work within APEC to promote and coordinate activities in this area.

APEC Business Advisory Council

The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) was created by the APEC Economic Leaders in November 1995 with the aim of providing advice to the APEC Economic Leaders on ways to achieve the Bogor Goals and other specific business sector priorities, and to provide the business perspective on specific areas of cooperation. Each economy nominates up to three members from the private sector to ABAC. These business leaders represent a wide range of industry sectors. ABAC provides an annual report to APEC Economic Leaders containing recommendations to improve the business and investment environment in the Asia-Pacific region, and outlining business views about priority regional issues. ABAC is also the only non-governmental organisation that is on the official agenda of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting.

Annual APEC Economic Leaders' Meetings

Since its formation in 1989, APEC has held annual meetings with representatives from all member economies. The first four annual meetings were attended by ministerial-level officials. Beginning in 1993, the annual meetings are named APEC Economic Leaders' Meetings and are attended by the heads of government from all member economies except Taiwan, which is represented by a ministerial-level official. The annual Leaders' Meetings are not called summits. Meeting developments In 1997, the APEC meeting was held in Vancouver. Controversy arose after officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police used pepper spray against protesters. The protesters objected to the presence of autocratic leaders such as Indonesian president Suharto. At the 2001 Leaders' Meeting in Shanghai, APEC leaders pushed for a new round of trade negotiations and support for a program of trade capacity-building assistance, leading to the launch of the Doha Development Agenda a few weeks later. The meeting also endorsed the Shanghai Accord proposed by the United States, emphasising the implementation of open markets, structural reform, and capacity building. As part of the accord, the meeting committed to develop and implement APEC transparency standards, reduce trade transaction costs in the

Asia-Pacific region by 5 percent over 5 years, and pursue trade liberalization policies relating to information technology goods and services. In 2003, Jemaah Islamiah leader Riduan Isamuddin had planned to attack the APEC Leaders Meeting to be held in Bangkok in October. He was captured in the city of Ayutthaya, Thailand by Thai police on August 11, 2003, before he could finish planning the attack.[citation needed] Chile became the first South American nation to host the Leaders' Meeting in 2004. The agenda of that year was focused on terrorism and commerce, small and medium enterprise development, and contemplation of free trade agreements and regional trade agreements.

The 2005 Leaders' Meeting was held in Busan, South Korea. The meeting focused on the Doha round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, leading up to the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 held in Hong Kong in December. Weeks earlier, trade negotiations in Paris were held between several WTO members, including the United States and the European Union, centered on reducing agricultural trade barriers. APEC leaders at the summit urged the European Union to agree to reducing farm subsidies. Peaceful protests against APEC were staged in Busan, but the meeting schedule was not affected. At the Leaders' Meeting held on November 19, 2006 in Hanoi, APEC leaders called for a new start to global free-trade negotiations while condemning terrorism and other threats to security. APEC also criticised North Korea for conducting a nuclear test and a missile test launch that year, urging the country to take "concrete and effective" steps toward nuclear disarmament. Concerns about nuclear proliferation in the region was discussed in addition to economic topics. The United States and Russia signed an agreement as part of Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organization. The APEC Australia 2007 Leaders' Meeting was held in Sydney from 29 September 2007. The political leaders agreed to an "aspirational goal" of a 25% reduction of energy intensity correlative with economic development.[37] Extreme security measures including airborne sharpshooters and extensive steel-and-concrete barricades were deployed against anticipated protesters and potential terrorists. However, protest activities were peaceful and the security envelope was penetrated with ease by a spoof diplomatic motorcade manned by members of the

Australian television program The Chaser, one of whom was dressed to resemble the Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The APEC USA 2011 Leaders' Meeting was held on Honolulu, Hawaii 813 November 2011. APEC Leaders' Family Photo At the end of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, the leaders in attendance gather for what is officially known as the APEC Leaders' Family Photo. A long-standing tradition for this photo involved the attending leaders dressing in a costume that reflects the culture of the host member. The tradition dates back to the first such meeting in 1993 when then-U.S. President Bill Clinton outfitted the leaders in leather bombardier jackets. However, at the 2010 meeting, Japan opted to have the leaders dress in smart casual rather than the traditional kimono.[39] Similarly, when Honolulu was selected in 2009 as the site for the 2011 APEC meeting, U.S. President Barack Obama joked that he looked forward to seeing the leaders dressed in "flowered shirts and grass skirts". However, after viewing previous photos, and concerned that having the leaders dress in aloha shirts might give the wrong impression during a period of economic austerity, Obama decided that it might be time to end the tradition. Leaders were given a specially designed aloha shirt as a gift but were not required to wear it for the photo.

APEC Study Center Consortium

In 1993, APEC Leaders decided to establish a network of APEC Study Centres among universities and research institutions in member economies.[22] Notable centers include: Australian APEC Study Centre, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia Berkeley APEC Study Center, University of California, Berkeley, United States Chinese Taipei APEC Study Center, Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, Taiwan HKU APEC Study Center, Hong Kong University, Hong Kong, China Kobe APEC Study Center, Kobe University, Japan Nankai APEC Study Center, Nankai University, China

Philippine APEC Study Center Network, Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Philippines The Canadian APEC Study Centre, The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Vancouver, Canada Indonesian APEC Study Centre, APEC Study Center University of Indonesia, Indonesia.

Key APEC Milestones

2011 - Honolulu, United States APEC Leaders issue the Honolulu Declaration in which they commit to taking concrete steps toward a seamless regional economy; addressing shared green growth objectives; and advancing regulatory cooperation and convergence. To reach these goals, APEC resolves to reduce, by the end of 2015, applied tariff rates of environmental goods to 5 percent or less, taking into account economies' economic circumstances, without prejudice to APEC economies' positions in the WTO. APEC sets the goal to reduce aggregate energy intensity by 45 percent by 2035. And APEC commits to take specific steps by 2013 to implement good regulatory practices by ensuring internal coordination of regulatory work; assessing regulatory impacts; and conducting public consultation. 2010 - Yokohama, Japan APEC Leaders issue the Yokohama Vision to provide a roadmap for members to realize an economically-integrated, robust and secure APEC community. This includes the formulation of a comprehensive, long-term growth strategy . APEC completes an assessment of the progress towards the Bogor Goals and finds significant gains in the areas of liberalizing trade in goods, services and investment, as well as trade facilitation. APEC formulates the APEC Strategy for Investment and endorses the APEC New Strategy for Structural Reform. APEC holds its firstever APEC Ministerial Meeting on Food Security. 2009 - Singapore APEC resolves to pursue balanced, inclusive and sustainable growth, while Leaders agree to extend their standstill commitment on protectionism until 2010. The first-ever joint meetings of

APEC senior trade and finance officials are held to address the economic crisis. APEC launches the Supply-Chain Connectivity Framework and the Ease of Doing Business Action Plan to make doing business in the region 25 percent cheaper, faster and easier by 2015. Member economies also commence work on an APEC Services Action Plan and an Environmental Goods and Services Work Program. 2008 - Lima, Peru APEC focused on the social dimensions of trade and on reducing the gap between developing and developed members, in accordance with the 2008 theme, "A New Commitment to AsiaPacific Development". Leaders also addressed the global financial crisis in the Lima APEC Leaders' Statement on the Global Economy. They committed to take all necessary economic and financial measures to restore stability and growth, to reject protectionism and to intensify efforts to advance WTO Doha Development Agenda negotiations. 2007 - Sydney, Australia For the first time, APEC Member Economies issue a Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development outlining future action in support of a new international climate change arrangement and announcing a forward program of practical, cooperative actions and initiatives. Leaders also adopted a major report on closer Regional Economic Integration, including structural reform initiatives, and welcomed the new APEC Trade Facilitation Action Plan which will reduce trade transaction costs by a further five per cent by 2010. 2006 - Ha Noi, Viet Nam APEC Economic Leaders endorsed the Ha Noi Action Plan which identifies specific actions and milestones to implement the Bogor Goals and support capacity-building measures to help APEC economies. They also issued a statement on the WTO Doha Development Agenda calling for ambitious and balanced outcomes. To prioritize its agenda, APEC takes a strategic approach to reform working groups and strengthen the Secretariat. 2005 - Busan, Korea

APEC adopts the Busan Roadmap, completes the Mid-Term Stocktake which has found that APEC is well on its way to meeting the Bogor Goals, and the APEC Privacy Framework. Leaders issue a stand-alone statement in support of a successful conclusion to the WTO's 6th Ministerial Meeting in Hong Kong, China and agree to confront pandemic health threats and continue to fight against terrorism which could cause deep economic insecurity for the region. 2004 - Santiago, Chile APEC issues a strong statement of support for progress in the WTO Doha Development Agenda and sets a target date for achieving a breakthrough in negotiations: December 2005, the convening of the Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference. APEC adopts Best Practices for RTAs and FTAs, the Santiago Initiative for Expanded Trade and a Data Privacy Framework. APEC reiterates its "unmistakable resolve" to confront the threat of terrorism, and takes further action in this regard by identifying key elements of effective export control systems; establishing guidelines on the control of man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), and continuing to implement the STAR initiative. APEC makes a political commitment to fight corruption and ensure transparency, and endorses a specific Course of Action towards this end. 2003 - Bangkok, Thailand APEC agrees to re-energize the WTO Doha Development Agenda negotiations and stresses the complementary aims of bilateral and regional trade agreements, the Bogor Goals and the multilateral trading system under the WTO. APEC dedicates itself not only to promoting the prosperity of member economies, but also to improving the security of the peoples of the AsiaPacific region. APEC pledges to take specific actions to dismantle terrorist groups, eliminate the danger of weapons of mass destruction and confront other security threats. Members sign up to the APEC Action Plan on SARS and the Health Security Initiative to further protect personal security. APEC also strengthens its efforts to build knowledge-based economies, promote sound and efficient financial systems and accelerate regional structural reform. 2002 - Los Cabos, Mexico

APEC adopts a Trade Facilitation Action Plan, Policies on Trade and the Digital Economy and Transparency Standards. APEC's second Counter-Terrorism Statement is delivered, along with the adoption of the Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Initiative. 2001 - Shanghai, People's Republic of China APEC adopts the Shanghai Accord, which focuses on Broadening the APEC Vision, Clarifying the Roadmap to Bogor and Strengthening the Implementation Mechanism. The e-APEC Strategy is adopted, which sets out an agenda to strengthen market structures and institutions, facilitate infrastructure investment and technology for on-line transactions and promote entrepreneurship and human capacity building. APEC's first Counter-Terrorism Statement is issued.

2000 - Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam APEC establishes an electronic Individual Action Plan (e-IAP) system, providing IAPs online and commits to the Action Plan for the New Economy, which, amongst other objectives, aims to triple Internet access throughout APEC region by 2005. 1999 - Auckland, New Zealand APEC commits to paperless trading by 2005 in developed economies and 2010 in developing economies. APEC Business Travel Card scheme is approved and a Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Electrical Equipment and a Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC is endorsed. 1998 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia APEC agrees on the first nine sectors for EVSL and seeks an EVSL agreement with non-APEC members at the World Trade Organization. 1997 - Vancouver, Canada

APEC endorses a proposal for Early Voluntary Sectoral Liberalization (EVSL) in 15 sectors and decides that Individual Action Plans should be updated annually. 1996 - Manila, The Philippines The Manila Action Plan for APEC (MAPA) is adopted, outlining the trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation measures to reach the Bogor Goals and the first Collective and Individual Action Plans are compiled, outlining how economies will achieve the free trade goals. 1995 - Osaka, Japan APEC adopts the Osaka Action Agenda (OAA) which provides a framework for meeting the Bogor Goals through trade and investment liberalisation, business facilitation and sectoral activities, underpinned by policy dialogues, economic and technical cooperation.

1994 - Bogor, Indonesia APEC sets the Bogor Goals of, "free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific by 2010 for developed economies and 2020 for developing economies." 1993 - Blake Island, United States APEC Economic Leaders meet for the first time and outline APEC's vision, "stability, security and prosperity for our peoples." 1989 - Canberra, Australia APEC begins as an informal Ministerial-level dialogue group with 12 members.

Achievements and Benefits

The Asia-Pacific region has consistently been the most economically dynamic region in the world. Since APEC's inception in 1989, APEC's total trade has grown 395%, significantly outpacing the rest of the world.1 In the same period, GDP (in purchasing power parity terms) in the APEC region has tripled, while GDP in the rest of the world has less than doubled.2 APEC's work under its three main pillars of activity, Trade and Investment Liberalisation, Business Facilitation and Economic and Technical Cooperation, has helped drive this economic growth and improve employment opportunities and standards of living for the citizens of the region. Trade and Investment Liberalisation APEC is the premier forum for trade and investment liberalisation in the Asia-Pacific and has set targets dates for "free and open trade": no later than the year 2010 for industrialised economies, and 2020 for developing economies (the Bogor Goals). When APEC was established in 1989 average trade barriers in the region stood at 16.9%; by 2004 barriers had been reduced by approximately 70% to 5.5%. As a consequence, intra-APEC merchandise trade (exports and imports) has grown from US$1.7 trillion in 1989 to US$8.44 trillion in 2007 - an average increase of 8.5% per year; and merchandise trade within the region accounted for 67% of APEC's total merchandise trade in 2007. Similarly, trade with the rest of the world has increased from US$3 trillion in 1989 to US$15 trillion in 2007, an average increase of 8.3% per year. Trade in the rest of the world has increased at 7.6% over the same period. Over 30 bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) have been concluded between APEC Member Economies. APEC is also pursuing trade and investment liberalisation through its Regional Economic Integration agenda. Progress to date includes: Investigating the prospects of and options for a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific. The development of 15 model measures for RTAs/FTAs that serve as a reference for APEC members to achieve comprehensive and high-quality agreements.

APEC has also acted as a catalyst in the advancement of World Trade Organisation multilateral trade negotiations over the past 20 years.

Business Facilitation As a result of the APEC Trade Facilitation Action Plan (TFAP I) the cost of business transactions across the region was reduced by 5% between 2002 and 2006. A second trade facilitation action plan (TFAP II), aims to reduce transaction costs by a further 5% between 2007 and 2010. APEC initiatives that help facilitate trade include: The introduction of electronic/paperless systems by all member economies, covering the payment of duties, and customs and trade-related document processing. The Single Window Strategic Plan, adopted in 2007, provides a framework for the development of Single Window systems which will allow importers and exporters to submit information to government once, instead of to multiple government agencies, through a single entry point. Providing business with a concise one-stop repository of customs and trade facilitation related information for all APEC economies through the APEC Customs and Trade Facilitation Handbook The APEC Tariff Database provides users with easy access to APEC member economies' tariff schedules, concessions, prohibitions and other information. In 2008, a groundbreaking Investment Facilitation Action Plan was endorsed; it aims to improve the investment environment in Member Economies. The APEC Privacy Framework provides guidance and direction to both APEC Member Economies and businesses on implementing information privacy protection policies and procedures. By facilitating information flows it will facilitate trade and e-commerce. The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) provides substantial time and cost savings to business people and facilitates their travel in the region, by allowing visa free travel and express lane transit at airports in participating economies. APEC is also removing behind-the-border barriers to trade through its Structural Reform agenda, which focuses on reforming domestic policies and institutions that adversely

affect the operation of markets, and the capacity of businesses to access markets and to operate efficiently. Economic and Technical Cooperation APEC's Economic and Technical Cooperation (ECOTECH) activities are designed to build capacity and skills in APEC Member Economies at both the individual and institutional level, to enable them to participate more fully in the regional economy and the liberalisation process. Since APEC first began to undertake capacity building work in 1993, more than 1200 projects have been initiated; and in 2008, APEC was implementing a total of 212 capacity building projects with a total value of US$13.5m. A particular focus has been reducing the digital pide between developed and developing economies: In 2000, APEC set a goal of tripling internet usage in the region and that goal has now been achieved, as recognised by the 2008 APEC Ministerial Meeting on the Telecommunications and Information Industry. APEC's new goal is to achieve universal access to broadband by 2015. A network of 41 APEC Digital Opportunity Centers (ADOC) now operate in seven Member Economies. ADOC's objective is to transform the digital pide into digital opportunities and the centres act as local information and communication technology (ICT) resource centres, providing citizens and businesses of the region with access to ICT technologies, education and training. APEC is also developing a Digital Prosperity Checklist that outlines specific steps economies can take to enable them to utilise ICT as catalysts for growth and development.

Other Achievements APEC has also been able to evolve its agenda to include pressing regional priorities. Examples include: counter-terrorism (The Shanghai Statement in 2001, and the Counter-Terrorism Task Force); human security (Health Working Group); emergency preparedness (Task Force for Emergency Preparedness); climate change, energy security and clean development (The Sydney Declaration in 2007); and the global financial crisis (The Lima Statement in 2008).

Business Resources
APEC is committed to making it easier and more efficient for you to do business in the AsiaPacific region. This section contains easy-to-use business information and tools and is designed to help you build your business by leveraging APEC's expertise and resources. Business does not get done by corporate vision alone; partnerships between the public and private sector are a key step toward ensuring a sustainable, win-win economic environment for all - especially the consumer. You are encouraged to get involved with the APEC process. Your contributions will provide a valuable business perspective on APEC activities and help promote economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. Currently business contributes to a number of key APEC issues from energy to telecommunications and further opportunities exist across the range of APEC activities for business involvement. If you would like to participate in the APEC process, please contact the APEC Secretariat's Business Coordinator, Mr TU Anh Tuan at tat@apec.org. Business Resources APEC working level groups, comprising experts from the APEC region have developed a series of business tools to assist you with key business decisions. Business Travel The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) allows business travelers pre-cleared, facilitated shortterm entry to participating member economies. The ABTC removes the need to individually

apply for visas or entry permits, saving valuable time, and allows multiple entries into participating economies during the three years the card is valid. Card holders also benefit from faster immigration processing on arrival via access to fast-track entry and exit through special APEC lanes at major airports in participating economies. The APEC Business Travel Handbook is a practical tool which provides a quick reference guide to the visa and entry requirements of APEC Member Economies. It lists the basic eligibility criteria and procedures for applying for visas and the terms and conditions that apply to business travelers. This information is provided for both short-term business visits and temporary residence for business people in APEC Member Economies. Electrical and Electronic Equipment Mutual Recognition Arrangement (EEMRA) APEC Member Economies' mandatory requirements on regulated electrical and electronic products are provided in a standardized format to assist those who may wish to export electrical and electronic products to that economy. Government Procurement Resources The Government Procurement Experts' Group provides current government procurement policies, procedures, trade opportunities, and key people to contact in each of those economies. Import Regulations These comprehensive set of links to import regulation information in APEC Member Economies aim to make it easier for importers and exporters to access information before trading in the Asia-Pacific region. Intellectual Property To ensure that you will be adequately rewarded and protected as you trade and invest across borders, consult the Intellectual Property Rights Experts' Group IP Information Center. The Center provides information about the intellectual property regimes and key contacts in APEC Member Economies.

The Intellectual Property Explorer is a free, secure and simple online business tool to help SMEs identify and protect their IP assets. It contains a series of interactive diagnostic questions designed to review each piece of intellectual property in an SME's business. The group also provides a library of resources used by IP offices of APEC Member Economies to effectively raise awareness of IP in their local market. Investment The APEC Investment Regime Guidebook, 6th Edition, provides valuable information about the investment environments of APEC Member Economies. The Investment Experts Group maintains a set of links to investment-related information in APEC Economies and is geared to providing you with current additional information. Standardization and Regulatory Bodies Access the Standards and Conformance information to provide you with information on Member Economies' contacts in international standardization bodies and links to Economies' regulatory bodies on various sectors. Transparency Standards APEC Economies developed a set of General Transparency Standards that committed members to such measures as publishing all laws and regulation, and establishing appeal mechanisms for administrative decisions. There are nine sets of Area-Specific Transparency Standards that Economies are working towards: Services, Investment, Competition Policy and Regulatory Reform, Standards and Conformance, Intellectual Property, Customs Procedures, Market Access, Business Mobility and Government Procurement. Access Economies' completed assessment templates that are available for download.

Possible enlargement
India has requested membership in APEC, and received initial support from the United States, Japan and Australia. Officials have decided not to allow India to join for various reasons. However, the decision was made not to admit more members until 2010. Moreover, India does not border the Pacific Ocean, which all current members do. However, India has been invited to be an observer for the first time in November 2011. In addition to India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Laos, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama and Ecuador, are among a dozen countries seeking membership in APEC by 2008. Colombia applied for APEC's membership as early as in 1995, but its bid was halted as the organization stopped accepting new members from 1993 to 1996, and the moratorium was further prolonged to 2007 due to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador had hoped to become members by 2010.[citation needed] Guam has also been actively seeking a separate membership, citing the example of Hong Kong, but the request is opposed by the United States, which currently represents Guam. APEC Logo APEC owns: the trade mark "APEC" and the trade mark "Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation" all names and trade marks that include "APEC" or "Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation" the "APEC globe" logo and all similar variants, including color variants

Versions of the APEC logo There are two versions of the APEC Logo. One version is with the "Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation" text (either in vertical or horizontal format); and one with the name of either an APEC fora or APEC member.

APEC Tagline The APEC tagline, "Advancing Free Trade for Asia-Pacific Prosperity" is used in conjunction with the APEC Logo.

Criticism
APEC has been criticized for failing to clearly define itself or serve a useful purpose. According to the organization, it is "the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region" established to "further enhance economic growth and prosperity for the region and to strengthen the Asia-Pacific community". However, whether it has accomplished anything constructive remains debatable, especially from the viewpoints of European countries that cannot take part in APEC.

CONCLUSION
The name, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, does not have a noun such as a community, agreement nor summit to go after it. Skeptical viewers convey that this represents an institutional underdevelopment because the member nations cannot even reach and agreement on the basic character of the organization.1 The fact that APEC covers a large part of the region and includes nations with diversity in culture, political interests economic development, and absence of strong leadership are seen as a cause of difficulty to formalize the institution. Due to the existence of INGOs, such as PECC, for trade facilitation and development cooperation since the late 1960s, and acts of regional economic cooperation, this sort of just became the name for the organization. Miyaichi states that this reflects pragmatism and the Asian nature (since more than half the members are Asian nations) in its ambiguity. Not specifying the shape of its organization, whether it is an agreement or conference, is not the matter of most importance, or better yet, its better not to formalize the formation.2 Other megaregionalisms do have a binding nature represented in their name, such as Free Trade Agreement in the case of NAFTA and Customs Union for EU. However, APEC has recently been trying to make itself matter more, and this flexible feature of APEC is adjusting towards the original intention of the organization, to concentrate on the economic cooperation aspect to obtain more equitable development in the region towards economic globalization After the difficulties experienced during the negotiations of the Uruguay Round of GATT in the late 1980s with the change in course of the development of the political economy of international relations with regionalization in the 1990s, political powers such as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have developed and now became an important factor in the movement towards economic globalization. Unlike the East vs. West world division, created principally by differences in ideology, the new division of nations is created by the international political economy after the Cold War. This new division is based on differences in economic development and is represented by a developed North and an underdeveloped South. When the world free trade process was undertaken after WWII, uneven distribution of wealth in the North and the South already existed, along with similar unbalances of development within the region or individual nations. With increased technology and expanded knowledge of the world

through rapid communication, political powers such as NGOs have made unfair distribution of world wealth more visible, and have started to address the problems of economic globalization. At the same time, developing or underdeveloped members of WTO became more unwilling to let the developed western power ride over their economy without leaving visible improvements, and increased their coalition and voice at every international stage, at WTO and within APEC. After the Asian financial crisis, ASEAN nations had lost confidence in its demand as the developing countries voice in APEC, but regional institutional cooperation has been strengthened and they are moving forward to complete the AFTA. The feeling of threat that the ASEAN nations felt toward China for taking FDI otherwise directed to them, is being eased through a process of investment promotion and with their own FTA between China and them. After overcoming the competitiveness between them, China is very likely to join with ASEAN to strengthen the voice of developing nations at the international stages. A version of the United States hub and spokes strategy of being the center for trade agreements will be practiced by developing nations such as Singapore and Mexico. This way, these developing nations can use their position as the center of bilateral FTAs, to exercise pressure on their trade partners for TILF and ECOTECH. APECs future role is to strengthen and re-address the already existing principles, so that SRTAs and bilateral FTAs within the region will not serve as a stumbling block, but as a building block with special concerns for the economic growth of developing members