Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade
(Darwin, Australia, June 6-7 2000)

ANNEX B

Confidence Building Measures – APEC’s Contribution to the WTO

Capacity Building in APEC Related to the Implementation of the WTO Agreements
Objectives
Two major objectives of the initiative are:

To facilitate the implementation of WTO Agreements and the integration of developing economies into the multilateral trading system.
To help address the concerns and challenges of APEC developing economies’ participation in a new round.
General Strategy
Based on the need of individual economies, APEC should have its own initiative of strengthening capacity building activities in developing economies, with the cooperation of developed economies, the WTO and other relevant international organisations. The proposed APEC strategy on capacity building:

Identifying needs and drafting a strategic plan
Endorsing an APEC strategic plan to be utilised, as appropriate, in the context of the development strategies of members and related international organisations
Identifying possible sources of funding for the plan
Creating a mechanism to implement and follow up the plan
Six ways to enhance capacity of developing economies
Expanding knowledge and skills for implementing WTO Agreements
Developing legal framework for domestic implementation
Enhancing physical infrastructure for domestic implementation
Enhancing negotiation skills to participate in international negotiations
Building capacity to utilise the WTO dispute mechanism
Contributing to support for accession to the WTO for APEC members
Schedule
<After MRT - August 31>

After MRT, questionnaires will be distributed to all the economies. Interested economies would respond to the questionnaires by August 31.

<September - October>

Further field studies would be conducted.

<November 12-13: APEC Ministerial>

Ministers would be asked to endorse the APEC strategic plan. This would be taken forward by members in the context of their own development strategies and in conjunction with international organisations in the APEC region. Ministers would be asked to give priority to allocating the APEC TILF fund to the possible pilot projects.
Ministers would agree that members would adjust priorities, as appropriate, in their development programs in the light of the APEC strategic plan.
Ministers would invite relevant international development organisations to provide possible support to the program.

Seminars on New Areas (Investment and Competition)
Objectives
To promote a common understanding of issues related to possible future multilateral rules on investment and competition.
To share the experiences of investment and competition policies in the APEC region.
Agenda
Review investment and competition policies in the APEC region and analyse their relationship with international trade and economic development.
Survey business difficulties and other issues regarding investment and competition, exploring the scope for appropriate solutions.
Examine the merits and demerits of developing multilateral rules on the interface between trade and investment and competition.
Examine the need for multilateral rules and the effects of rule making for economic development.
Schedule
The seminars will be held in Latin America and Asia.

<August 23> Seminar in Peru

<October or December> Seminar in the Philippines

Market Access for Least Developed Economies
Objectives
To encourage more APEC economies to participate in the initiative of providing Least Developed Economies with enhanced market access.
Participating APEC economies
The following 7 APEC economies announced their participation in this initiative in early May:
[Canada; Chile; Hong Kong, China; Korea; New Zealand; Japan and United States]

The following 2 economies clarified on this occasion that they already provide market access in line with this initiative:
[Australia and Singapore]

* Regarding non-APEC members, the following 7 economies/regions have already announced to participate in this initiative in early May:

[Czech, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, European Union]

| STATEMENT OF THE CHAIR |
| Annx A : AGREED ACTIONS |
| Annx C : Joint Statement on the WTO/TRIPS Agreement Implementation |
| Annx D :Paperless Trading |

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