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New Economy Issues
E-APEC
41. The information technology revolution
is one of the major forces transforming the world and the
APEC region into the 21st century. Ministers reaffirmed their
confidence in the immense potential of Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) and its applications in upgrading the welfare
and living standard of our people in the APEC region. Ministers
emphasized the importance of the development of New Economy,
the ICT revolution and its applications. 42. As instructed
by the Leaders, a long-term, forward-looking and action-oriented
e-APEC Strategy has been formulated by developing and expanding
the Action Agenda for New Economy this year. Ministers commended
the efforts made by the e-APEC Task Force, and endorsed the
e-APEC Strategy, which demonstrated APEC's resolve to spur
ICT development with the vision of an approaching digital
society. Ministers urged members to take concrete and concerted
actions to implement the e-APEC Strategy so as to maximize
the benefits of the ICT revolution, address the digital divide
and benefit from the opportunities presented by the emerging
New Economy.
43. The e-APEC Strategy consists of the
following three pillars:??? Create an environment for strengthening
market structure and institutions; Ministers urged economies
to implement appropriate policies and actions to promote sustainable
and sound macroeconomic policy framework, sustained structural
reform, an effective competition regime, good financial and
corporate governance, etc. and actions to promote sustainable
growth. ??? Create an environment for infrastructure investment
and technology development; Ministers encouraged economies
to create a policy environment conducive to competitive investment
and the widespread uptake of beneficial technologies.
Enhance human capacity building and entrepreneurship
development.
Ministers urged economies to take actions
to improve human capacity building and promote entrepreneurship.
Ministers also encouraged economies to develop innovation-oriented
policies and promote the participation of SMEs in New Economy
activities.
44. Ministers urged member economies
to take concrete actions to turn the e-APEC vision into reality,
which would definitely help facilitate spreading the benefits
of the New Economy, enhancing the momentum of economic development
and revitalizing not only regional, but also the global economy.
Ministers encouraged member economies and relevant APEC fora
to implement the e-APEC Strategy through broad cooperation
and collaboration. In this regard, Ministers directed Senior
Officials, in cooperation with the Finance Deputies, where
appropriate, to facilitate and oversee the process of implementing
the Strategy and report the outcomes to the responsible Ministers
at their next year's meeting in Mexico. Ministers welcomed
the report on progress in developing the Network of Skills
Development Centres and encourage full participation by members.
E-commerce
45. Ministers noted and welcomed the
progress made by Electronic Commerce Steering Group (ECSG)
on promoting and coordinating E-commerce-related activities
across APEC sub-fora, including the completion of the APEC
2001 Electronic Commerce Stocktake. In this regard, Ministers
endorsed the recommended work program on E-commerce in APEC.
Ministers also endorsed the proposal by the ECSG to develop
APEC guidelines for online consumer protection and noted the
proposal to organize a public/private sector forum regarding
online privacy and E-commerce during 2002.
46. Noting the different roles of private
and public sectors in promoting the development of E-commerce
as well as the needs to strengthening the linkage between
them in this field, Ministers endorsed the proposal of the
establishment of the APEC E-commerce Business Alliance. Ministers
also welcomed the proposal to strengthen economic and technical
cooperation in the area of E-commerce with a view to narrowing
the gap between member economies in the application of E-commerce.
47. Ministers welcomed Individual Action
Plans on Paperless Trading submitted by some member economies,
encouraged other member economies to participate in the delivery
of Paperless Trading IAPs, and instructed SOM to report on
progress to the MRT Meeting in 2002. Ministers also welcomed
the report on Paperless Trading: Benefits to APEC, and encouraged
APEC members to reduce regulatory and institutional barriers
to paperless trading.
48. Ministers recognised the growth of
global electronic commerce and the importance of a legal and
policy framework which both ensures business and public confidence
and avoids unnecessarily restrictive trade barriers while
respecting national policy objectives in order to allow E-commerce
to develop its full potential to create new opportunities
for trade.
Other Existing and New Initiatives
49. Ministers welcomed the progress report
made by lead economies on various existing and new initiatives
on e-APEC activities. Ministers welcomed the implementation
of Phase I of the project on Transforming the Digital Divide
into a Digital Opportunity by Chinese Taipei and urged the
early implementation of Phase II work in 2002. Ministers welcomed
Korea's offer to host a high-level conference on strengthening
APEC cooperation for establishing e-government, and a seminar
on empowering people with disabilities in the Information
and Technology (IT) age in 2002. In response to Vietnam's
New Economy Initiative on Strengthening the Legal Framework
for E-Commerce, Ministers agreed to convene an E-Commerce
Legal Infrastructure Workshop at the 25th TEL meeting in 2002
in Hanoi, Vietnam. 50. Ministers reaffirmed commitments to
triple access to the Internet by 2005, and to ensure that
all groups within an economy have access individually or through
community-based services to the Internet by 2010; and they
commended the TEL for developing a Digital Divide Blueprint
for Action and called for its completion and implementation.
51. Ministers welcomed efforts and policy
findings by TEL on ICT development and diffusion, for the
creation of a policy environment in the APEC region for universal
access, the liberalization of the market, the realization
of digital opportunities, and the security of information
infrastructure and networks. Ministers recognized the important
role of the private sectors in developing and diffusing ICT
and encouraged enhanced cooperation among members and all
stakeholders with the effective leadership of governments
in upgrading capacity into a digital and prosperous future.
In this regard, Ministers instructed the e-APEC Task Force,
TEL, ECSG, HRD, and SME WGs, and other APEC fora to continue
their endeavors in carrying forward the e-APEC activities
in various areas within APEC and enhance their cooperation
in ICT development in the region.
Development of SMEs
52. Ministers welcomed the outcomes from
the 8th SMEs Ministerial Meeting held in Shanghai under the
theme of "New Century, New Challenges: Innovation and
Environment for SME Development". They acknowledged the
vital role and importance of SMEs in promoting economic recovery
and long-term sustainable economic growth. Ministers urged
member economies to consider the key strategies recommended
by the SME Ministerial Meeting in the development of SMEs
and continue to examine thoroughly the obstacles faced by
SMEs. The recommendations identified are: Advancing Technological
Innovation through Cooperation, Facilitating Financing and
Improving the Environment for SME Development.
53. In times of economic uncertainty,
Ministers acknowledged the need to redouble efforts to support
growth and development of small and micro enterprises. Recognizing
the importance of enhanced cooperation in human capacity building
and information sharing for the benefit of SMEs across the
Asia Pacific region, Ministers welcomed efforts by the Philippines
and Canada as lead economies' to further on-going SME programs
for training and certification of APEC SME Counselors and
developing commercial alliances under the Business Partnership
Initiative for SMEs. Ministers welcomed the "International
Cooperation Forum on Innovative Management Skills" to
be implemented by Russia in 2002 and encouraged active participation
by all economies. Recognizing the benefits to SME policy makers
to better serve SME constituencies across APEC, Ministers
also endorsed the "Voluntary Visitor Program for APEC
SME Government Officials" and called for the United States
to hold the program next spring and report on results to the
9th APEC SME Ministerial Meeting in August 2002.
Sectoral Ministerial Meetings
54. Ministers took note of the report
presented by Peru regarding the postponement of the 3rd Transportation
Ministerial Meeting due to the cancellation of the Ministers
of several members after the terrorist attacks in the United
States last September, and welcomed Peru's offer to host the
event in March 2003.
55. Ministers welcomed the progress made
towards assisting economies to implement the operational plan
under Transportation Working Group including the progress
in implementing the recommendations for more competitive air
services on a voluntary basis. Ministers noted the ongoing
efforts in transportation safety and security, and supported
efforts to promote international cooperation for the suppression
of terrorism, piracy, and armed robbery.
56. Ministers welcomed Korea's offer
to host the 1st APEC Ocean Related Ministerial Meeting in
2002 and recognized that, it would contribute to strengthening
cooperation on sustainable marine and fisheries resources
development.
57. Ministers acknowledged that the review
on the implementation of initiatives of APEC Sectoral Ministerial
Meetings is vital to ensuring the overall effectiveness of
the APEC process. Ministers commended officials for their
efforts and directed them to urge APEC fora to continue to
implement the decisions and initiatives of various Sectoral
Ministerial Meetings.
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