APEC SOM III - Related Meetings

APEC SOM III - Related Meetings

Rotorua, 4-13 August 1999

1. Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI) and sub-groups

Committee on Trade and Investment (9-10 August)

Chair: Ambassador Edsel T Custodio (Philippines)

Issues

· Implementing, improving and expanding Collective Action Plans across all areas of the Osaka Action Agenda
· Draft principles on competition and regulatory policy
· Trade facilitation achievements

IAP Peer Reviews (7 August: the Philippines and Japan; 8 August: Brunei Darussalam and the United States)

Chair: each economy

Issues: each economy presents its Individual Action Plan to other APEC economies and responds to questions

Business Mobility (6-7 August)

Convenor: Mr Steve Meredith (Australia)

Issues

· Regulations affecting temporary residence of business people
· Raising members' capacity to detect document fraud to streamline entry for legitimate business travellers.
· Business Travel Card programme (New Zealand joined in March 1999).

Investment Experts Group (6-7 August)
Investment Experts Group Seminar (5 August)

Chair: Mr Chua Eng Seng (Malaysia)

Issues

· Further liberalisation of investment regimes of member economies.
· Improving the technical skills of officials dealing with investment projects.
· Publishing a new edition of the APEC Investment Guidebook.

Government Procurement Experts Group (8 August)

Convenor: Miss Adeline Wong (Hong Kong, China)

Issues
· Completing the full set of government procurement principles (due by end-1999).
· Ensuring consistency of existing government procurement systems with the non-binding principles, through economies' Individual Action Plans

Market Access Group (7 August)

Convenor: Ms Ng Kim Neo (Singapore)

Issues

· Enhancing the APEC Tariff Database
· Constructing an Internet mirror site of the World Trade Organisation Integrated Database
· Creating an APEC databse on non-tariff measures

Sub-committee on Standards and Conformance (4-8 August)

Chair: Mr Graham Boxall (New Zealand)

Issues

· Implementing and improving Collective Action Plans in the area of standards and conformance.

Customs Procedures Group (4-7 August)

Chair: Mr Mike Spong (New Zealand)

Issues

· Developing a Code of Conduct on integrity within Customs administrations.
· Improving direct involvement of the business sector in the activities of the group.
· Establishing an informal Virtual Customs Group with the aim of developing a compendium of APEC customs initiatives on electronic commerce.

Group on Services (7-8 August)

Convenor: Dr Tsai Ing Wen (Chinese Taipei)

Issues
· Compiling an APEC Directory of Professional Services to identify requirements for providing professional services in member economies and making the information available to business
· Identification of measures affecting education services

Early Voluntary Sectoral Liberalisation Experts Groups (5- August)

Convenor: various

Issues

· Implementing projects on non-tariff measures, facilitation and ecotech in 15 sectors targetted for early liberalisation; sectoral groups on energy, forest products and foodstuffs will meet in Rotorua.

Infrastructure Workshop (7 August; including working visit to Tauranga organised by Tranzrail and the Port of Tauranga)

Convenor: Mr Banbang Bintoro Soedjito (Indonesia)

Issues

· Updating progress on the PECC/APEC Regional Integration for Sustainable Economies project.

2. Economic Committee (EC)

Economic Committee (9-10 August)
Small Group Meeting for the 'Crisis' Project (6 August)
Economic Outlook Taskforce (8 August)

Chair: Dr Mitsuru Taniuchi (Japan)

Issues

· Finalising the 1999 APEC Economic Outlook, reporting on economic developments in hte region over the last 12 months
· Project on 'APEC Economies Beyond the Asian Crisis'

3. ECOTECH Sub-committee (9-10 August)

Chair: Ambassador Jorge Alberto Lozoya (Mexico)

Issues

· Managing APEC's work programme on Economic and Technical cooperation.
· Developing relationships with other APEC fora to improve coordination of ECOTECH work
· Ensuring ECOTECH activities add value and contribute to the achievement of APEC goals.

Task Force on the APEC Food System (8 August)

Co-chairs: Alan Kerr (New Zealand) and Dr Te-Yeh Ku (Chinese Taipei)

Issues

· finalising report to SOM on ABAC's proposal for an APEC Food System

Task Force on the Integration of Women in APEC (9-10 August)
Lead writers meeting (8 August)

Co-chairs: Patti O'Neill (New Zealand), Canada and the Philippines

Issues

· finalising draft recommendations on a Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC

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