APEC pushes forward 2012 priorities
APEC is taking further steps to enhance supply chain performance, improve collaboration on innovation and extend opportunities for more robust economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific.
That is the aim of a diverse cluster of high-level APEC trade and investment roundtables and workshops taking place this week in Singapore.
Attention will center on delivering practical strategies and solutions necessary to achieve trade and investment liberalization, regional economic integration, innovative growth and supply chain connectivity, which are among APEC’s top 2012 agenda items.
Officials from APEC’s 21 member economies, the private sector, multilateral institutions and a host of other experts will assemble to drive the week-long exchange.
“Trade and policy issues to be addressed include contributions to the multilateral trading system, next generation trade and investment issues, ongoing work to address supply chain bottlenecks, environmental goods and services , private sector engagement and industry dialogues,” said Monica Contreras, chair of the APEC Committee on Trade and Investment.
“Working dialogues will break-down APEC’s key trade issues for 2012, focusing on specific developments and opportunities, and offering relevant inputs,” she added.
A two-day conference on innovation and trade will pinpoint policy prescriptions for how APEC member economies can enable innovative goods, services and business models to flourish and drive productivity and economic growth, with timely input from senior business executives and innovators.
A separate two-day supply chain connectivity symposium will examine the design of a new self-assessment survey and external indicators intended to gauge APEC economies’ progress on supply chain performance, with a further comparative look at international benchmarking methods.
Other programs for the week range from a chemical dialogue with the region’s regulators to a remanufactured goods workshop.
The proceedings will be reviewed by APEC’s Committee on Trade and Investment on 2 – 3 April in Singapore.
More details about APEC’s 2012 priorities and initiatives for the year can be found on www.apec.org or www.apec2012.ru.
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For more information, including media arrangements for the Singapore meetings, please contact David Hendrickson +65 9371 8901 at [email protected] or Michael Chapnick +65 9647 4847 at [email protected].
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