The Vancouver : Connecting the APEC Community (1997)

Brief Introduction

At their 1997 meeting, the APEC Economic Leaders recognized members' efforts to improve the commitments in their Individual Action Plans and reaffirmed their intention to update these annually. The Leaders endorsed their Ministers' agreement that action should be taken with respect to early voluntary sectoral liberalization (EVSL) in 15 sectors, with nine to be advanced throughout 1998 and implementation to begin in 1999. The Blueprint for APEC Customs Modernization, which put forward a comprehensive program to harmonize and simplify customs clearances by the year 2002, provided a model of business facilitation. The Leaders also believed that full and active participation in and support of the WTO by all APEC economies is key to APEC's ability to continue to strengthen the global trading system. The Leaders welcomed the progress of APEC fora in involving business, academics and other experts, women and youth in 1997 activities, and encouraged them to continue these efforts. The Leaders applauded the initiative to involve youth throughout APEC's activities in 1997 as continued prosperity in the region will depend on APEC's ability to vest the next generation of leaders of the region with the skills and knowledge they require. Leaders also noted the benefits of electronic commerce and instructed that a work program on electronic commerce be developed, taking into account relevant activities in other international fora. The Leaders endorsed the Vancouver Framework for Enhanced Public-Private Partnership for Infrastructure Development as infrastructure is inextricably linked to the questions of financial stability that APEC is addressing.

Manila Action Plan for APEC (1996)

Brief Introduction

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.