APEC Helps Business Save Time and Money
Hon Lockwood Smith
New Zealand Minister for
International Trade
Chair, APEC Ministerial
Meeting
APEC¡¦s trade facilitation work plays a critical
role in improving conditions for business through assisting
them to avoid delays and cut costs, according to Lockwood
Smith, Chair of the APEC Ministerial Meeting and New
Zealand¡¦s Minister for International Trade.
"The APEC
Ministerial Meeting has highlighted the importance of
facilitation work given its ability to deliver tangible,
specific and measurable benefits to doing business within
the region," said Dr Smith.
"APEC is responding to
business demand for less paperwork, simpler procedures,
easier access to information and a more level playing-field
for conducting business in the region. This work is
improving certainty and delivering consistency in regulatory
and legal frameworks," Dr Smith said.
Highlights of
APEC¡¦s trade facilitation work to date include:
„h
Faster customs clearances and more consistent customs
evaluations
„h Expanded e-commerce and paperless trading
„h Easier access to government procurement markets
„h Simplified business travel
„h Uniform standards
for food, electrical, machinery and rubber products
„h
Lower cost of trade in electrical and telecommunications
equipment
„h Simplified sales of telecommunications
services
„h Less risk for investment in energy
infrastructure
„h Expansion of market opportunites for
architects, engineers and accountants
„h Less waste in
fresh seafood trade
„h Better Y2K preparedness for air
travel
„h Market access information via the internet on
tariffs, investment, e-commerce, intellectual property,
business travel, government procurement, business
opportunities, marine ports, labour markets and business
disputes
"These initiatives facilitate the process of
trading into other markets, and when taken together, deliver
real benefits to people doing business around the region.
ENDS
Inquiries: Ben King, Press Secretary 025 514
790
Attachment: APEC¡¦s Trade Facilitation
Achievements
Attachment
APEC¡¦S Trade Facilitation
Achievements
Faster Customs Clearances
APEC has
introduced faster and more certain customs clearance and
inspection. Regional customs computer systems will in future
communicate directly without paperwork, through the adoption
of a uniform electronic communications system. Currently an
average trade transaction involves 40 documents, 200 data
elements and the re-keying of 60 to 70 per cent of the data.
Paperless trading will cut these requirements dramatically.
The UN/EDIFACT communications system was developed in the
United Nations in 1985 but had not been adopted in most APEC
economies because of infrastructure limitations and the need
for technical assistance. APEC has provided assistance to
overcome these constraints in Brunei; Chile; China; Hong
Kong, China; Indonesia; Mexico; Philippines; Papua New
Guinea; Thailand and Vietnam.
More Consistent Customs
Evaluations
APEC is helping regional economies to adopt a
common system for consistent and transparent customs
valuations of traded goods. Customs valuations in APEC
economies currently vary considerably and arbitrary or
fictitious values may lead to distorted or unfair customs
levies. APEC is providing training and technical assistance
to enable its members to implement the internationally
recognised WTO Valuation Agreement by the year 2000,
including Brunei; Chile; China; Indonesia; Malaysia; Papua
New Guinea; Philippines; Singapore; Chinese Taipei and
Thailand.
Expanded E-Commerce and Paperless
Trading
APEC economies are committed to a goal of
paperless trading by 2005 for developed economies and 2010
for developing economies. APEC is assisting its members to
meet these goals and is improving business¡¦s electronic
access to markets through its Blueprint for Action on
E-Commerce. The Blueprint guides economies to develop the
legal, regulatory, technical, operating and trading
environments required by business to adopt paperless trading
and to take full advantage of the expanded market
opportunities offered by e-commerce. It is estimated that
e-commerce will represent between 1.3 and 3.3 per cent of
global GDP by 2001, equivalent to three times the size of
the Australian economy.
Easier Access to Government
Procurement Markets
APEC is assisting business to access
government procurement markets in the region, worth an
estimated 10-15 per cent of GDP. The APEC Government
Procurement Homepage provides information on tendering
opportunities and government procurement regimes, including
policies, legislation, regulations, practices and
procedures. APEC is also providing more open and consistent
procurement systems and practices for businesses competing
for government contracts, through the APEC non-binding
Principles on Government Procurement.
Expansion of
Markets for Architects, Engineers and Accountants
APEC is
assisting architects, engineers and accountants to sell
their services more easily. The APEC Directory of
Professional Services expands market opportunities for
business with the provision of fast and easy access to
information on the requirements and procedures for
qualification, licensing of individuals and firms and
establishment of a temporary or permanent presence in APEC
economies
Simplified Business Travel
APEC is making
business travel much easier within the region. Multiple
entry visas, visa waiver arrangements and internet access to
visa requirements have greatly simplified business travel.
Visa-free short-term entry is available through the APEC
Business Travel Card to participating APEC economies
(Australia, Chile, Hong Kong China, South Korea, New
Zealand, Philippines and Malaysia). Card-holders may also
access special APEC lanes at major international airports.
Over 2000 business people are issued with a card.
Uniform
Standards for Food, Electrical, Machinery and Rubber
Products
APEC will align domestic standards with
international standards by the year 2005 for goods ranging
from televisions, radios, refrigerators, videos,
air-conditioners, rubber gloves, condoms and food labelling.
This will save business the cost and time involved in
manufacturing to different product standards and meeting
individual labelling and testing requirements in each APEC
economy.
Lower Cost of Trade in Electrical
Equipment
APEC is cutting the cost of trade in goods such
as computers, toasters, televisions, radios and power-tools.
The APEC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on testing for
conformity assessments for electrical and electronic goods
eliminates the need for separate testing in each importing
economy. This arrangement will cover intra-APEC trade in
excess of US$ 230 billion per annum.
Lower Cost of Trade
in Telecommunications Equipment
APEC is cutting the cost
of trade in goods such as phones, faxes, modems, PABXs and
radio transmitters. The Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA)
on testing of conformity assessments for telecommunications
equipment avoids the need for separate testing in each
importing economy. Trade in telecommunications equipment in
the region is estimated to be worth $US 50 billion per year.
It is estimated that the MRA will save five per cent of the
cost of new product development, cut six months off the
placement of new products in markets, and reduce marketing
costs for new products by up to thirty per cent. Industry is
leading the implementation of the MRA and advising
governments on necessary adjustments to their regulatory
regimes.
Simplified Sales of Telecommunications
Services
APEC is assisting the sale of telecommunications
services within the region by simplifying the negotiation of
telecommunications contracts. Easier commercial access to
telecommunications networks and greater certainty for both
suppliers and purchasers of services will be provided though
the APEC Framework for Telecommunications Interconnection.
The Framework includes detailed non-prescriptive conditions
for inclusion in telecommunications contracts, and an
overview of terms, principles and tools to be drawn on
during negotiations.
Less Risk for Investment in Energy
Infrastructure
APEC is reducing risk for investors in
energy infrastructure in the region. Energy suppliers will
be able to make better informed investment decisions through
the provision of a transparent investment environment
provided by the APEC Manual of Best Practice Principles for
Independent Power Producers. The Principles cover
institutional and regulatory structures, tender/bid
processes and evaluation criteria, power purchase
arrangements and associated tariff structures, and financing
and its implications.
Less Waste in Fresh Seafood
Trade
APEC is helping business to minimise wastage and
transport times for fresh seafood to ensure the delivery of
fresher and healthier products. The APEC Manual on
Air-shipped Live and Fresh Seafood provides customs, health
and technical guidelines on preparing and packaging live and
fresh seafood air-shipments in APEC markets. Fresh seafood
is one of the region¡¦s fastest growing food industries. The
current value of trade in live fish in APEC is estimated at
over US $1.2 billion, with a growth rate of over 100 per
cent over the last five years.
Better Y2K Preparedness
for Air Travel
Airports and air traffic control systems
in the region will be better prepared for Y2K contingencies
as a result of the APEC survey on Y2K compliance. The survey
is assisting air traffic authorities to make accurate
assessments of their own Y2K program progress and to improve
compliance mechanisms where necessary.
Market Access
Information via the Internet:
„h Tariffs:
The APEC
Tariff Data Base saves business the time and expense of
obtaining tariff rates from individual economies for quick
comparisons and business decisions.
„h
Investment:
The APEC Investment Guidebook provides
information on investment regimes in all APEC economies,
including regulatory frameworks, investment protection,
promotion and incentives, and membership of international
agreements.
„h E-commerce:
The APEC E-Com Legal Guide
contains information on laws and regulations governing
e-commerce.
„h Intellectual property:
The APEC IPR
Information Mall and the APEC Intellectual Property Contact
List provide information on intellectual property protection
regimes and contact details for relevant government
officials, business people and academics.
„h Business
travel:
The APEC Business Travel Guidebook contains
information on regulations and procedures for obtaining
business visas and work permits.
„h Government
Procurement:
The APEC Government Procurement Homepage
provides information on tendering opportunities and
government procurement regimes, including policies,
legislation, regulations, practices and procedures
„h
Business Opportunities:
APECnet allows business to post
or identify business opportunities over the internet.
„h
Shipping:
The APEC Ports Database provides information on
marine port administration, capacity and relevant shipping
agents.
„h Labour markets:
The APEC Labour Market
Homepage provides information on labour supply and skill
levels organised by economy and by industrial sector.
„h
Business disputes:
The APEC Guide to Arbitration and
Dispute Resolution covers laws and regulations on
private-private and private-government business disputes.