2017/MRT/003a Agenda Item: 1 ABAC Chair s Progress Report to Ministers Purpose: Information Submitted by: ABAC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting Ha Noi, Viet Nam 20-21 May 2017
APEC Business Advisory Council ABAC 2017 Progress Report to Ministers Meeting of APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) Ha Noi, Viet Nam 20-21 May 2017 www.abaconline.org ABAC Priorities for 2017 1. 1 Deepening regional economic integration 2. 2 Achieving sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth 3. 3 Enhancing MSMEs competitiveness and encouraging innovation in the digital era 4. 4 Ensuring food security and promoting sustainable and climate smart agriculture 1
Regional economic integration Supporting the WTO and preventing protectionism - Reaffirm commitment to the spirit of standstill, take steps to reverse restrictive measures and urge full ratification and early implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) - Undertake research project on Harnessing globalization and technological progress for social inclusion and growth Enabling FTAAP - Support the APEC Leaders Declaration Annex A outlining next steps to be taken towards realization of FTAAP Regional economic integration Strengthening the Services Agenda - Monitor the implementation of the APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap (ASCR) - Organize services Public-Private Dialogues (PPDs) for business communities and participate in PPDs organized by ABAC and APEC Accelerating trade and investment liberalization and facilitation - Continue to focus non-tariff barriers - Enhance investment flows through work of the Regional Investment Analytical Group (RIAG) 2
Connectivity Enhancing institutional connectivity - Develop recommendations to be presented at 2018 APEC High Level Dialogue on Structural Reform - Develop region-wide framework for coherent deployment of Global Data Standards - Implement work plan on digital economy Connectivity Promoting people-to-people connectivity - Support work to develop an APEC Labor Mobility Framework, build a skills map and improve regionwide recognition of qualifications - Seek APEC support in aligning procedures for obtaining an APEC Business Travel Card 3
Connectivity Strengthening physical connectivity - Continue to advocate the use of ABAC s Enablers of Infrastructure Investment Checklist as a selfassessment tool - Work on maritime connectivity, air safety and connectivity and building digital infrastructure Sustainable development Achieving energy security and sustainability - Expand use of renewable energy Enhancing food security - Seek action on non-tariff barriers to food trade - Deepen level of strategic engagement and dialogue with private sector to improve understanding of economic and commercial context for food 4
Sustainable development Encouraging the sustainable development of natural resources - White Paper entitled Creating Inclusive Business Through the Extractive Industry Building an inclusive and sustainable community - Support ongoing work of the Urban Infrastructure Network Promoting a healthy and productive work force - Create coordination in policy dialogue between health, finance and economic ministers to achieve proactive investment in healthy work forces MSME & entrepreneurship Creating a favorable business environment - Host special innovation and technology workshop on margins of ABAC3 and pitching session for startups Facilitating MSME access to international markets and global value chains - Help populate MSME Marketplace - Further study on Small Business as part of Big Business Global Value Chains 5
MSME development & entrepreneurship Promoting human development in the digital era - Organize CBET localization programs and develop CBET Boot Camp Strengthening women s participation in the economy - Implement 2017 Action Plan for APEC Women Connect program Finance & Economics Promoting infrastructure investment - Develop an APEC paper on structural reform and how to create a favorable investment environment - Review the APEC digital infrastructure report - Expand and collaborate with the Global Infrastructure Hub - Revise Asia Pacific Infrastructure Partnership strategic focus Enhancing MSME access to finance 6
APEC Post-2020 Vision Update the business vision taking into account current business realities Form a small group consisting of the ABAC Chair and representatives of the host economies in 2018, 2019 and 2020 to take the lead on work relating to this exercise ABAC 2017 Progress Report to Ministers Hoang Van Dung ABAC Chair 2017 7