APEC pursues a trade and investment environment that promotes resilience and benefits for all. In support, the PSU conducts research and analysis regarding multilateral trading systems, trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, regional economic integration, and connectivity and supply chain resilience, among others. We continue to evaluate APEC initiatives in these areas and provide policy recommendations, as we assist with policies to strengthen market-driven economic integration in the region.
The Policy Support Unit has produced the following projects and publications under the economic driver of Trade and Investment:
Trade in Goods
Rules of Origin in Modern Trade Agreements – Trends and Challenges, 2026
The Costs of Hidden Measures: APEC’s Experience with Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs), 2025
Evaluating Progress on the Aotearoa Plan of Action: Trade and Investment Perspective, 2023
Study on Non-Tariff Measures Affecting Trade in Goods Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 2023
A Review of the APEC List of Environmental Goods (Policy Brief No. 41), 2021
Promoting Trade in Vaccines and Related Supplies and Equipment (Policy Brief No. 40), 2021
Promoting Trade in Medical Goods to Tackle COVID-19 Challenges (Policy Brief No. 32), 2020
NTMs in ICT Products (Policy Brief No. 18), 2017
Trade of Fishery Products and Fisheries Subsidies in APEC (Policy Brief No. 16), 2017
Perceptions on the Use of Non-Tariff Measures Within the APEC Region, 2014
The APEC List of Environmental Goods (Policy Brief No. 5), 2012
Services
APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap (ASCR) Final Review, 2025
Evaluating Progress on the Aotearoa Plan of Action: Trade and Investment Perspective, 2023
Monitoring Pandemic Recovery Under the APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap (ASCR), 2023
APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap (ASCR) Mid-term Review, 2021
Financing the Food Value Chain (Policy Brief No. 22), 2018
Services and the Food System (Policy Brief No. 21), 2018
APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap Baseline Indicators, 2017
Indonesia: Structural Reform in Air Transport Service, 2017
New Zealand: Electricity Retail Services Market Reform, 2017
Japan: Financial Services Sector Reform, 2017
China: Structural Reform in the Retail Services Sector, 2017
Chinese Taipei: Telecommunications Testing and Certification Services Reform, 2017
Structural Reform and Services, 2017
APEC Economic Policy Report 2016: Structural Reform and Services, 2016
Survey of Regulatory Measures in Environmental Services, 2016
Case Study on the Role of Services Trade in Global Value Chains: Transport Services in Chile, 2016
Report on APEC Work on Services and Baseline Indicators, 2015
Services in Global Value Chains: Manufacturing-Related Services, 2015
Services, Manufacturing and Productivity (Issues Paper No. 9), 2015
Guidebook on Trade and Supply Chain Finance, 2015
Regulatory Issues Affecting Trade and Supply Chain Finance (Issues Paper No. 8), 2014
Services and Manufacturing: Patterns of Linkages (Policy Brief No.10), 2014
Trends in Trade Finance across the APEC Region (Issues Paper No. 4), 2013
Trade in Services in the APEC Region: Patterns, Determinants, and Policy Implications, 2010
Trade Agreements
Rules of Origin in Modern Trade Agreements – Trends and Challenges, 2026
Expanding the Information Technology Agreement (Policy Brief No. 6), 2013
The Mutual Usefulness between APEC and TPP, 2011
Other Trade Topics
The Digital Transformation of Trade Facilitation in APEC (Policy Brief No. 70), 2026
Study on Convergences and Divergences of Free Trade Agreements in the APEC Region, 2025
Promoting the Utilization of Paperless Trade Platforms in the Post COVID-19 Era, 2025
Digitalising Trade: The Role of Paperless Platforms (Policy Brief No. 59), 2024
Customs Cooperation in APEC: Strengthening Regional Cooperation, 2019
Trade Facilitation in APEC: Progress and Impact (Policy Brief No. 25), 2019
GDPR and CBPR: Reconciling Personal Data Protection and Trade, 2018
Study on Single Window Systems' International Interoperability: Key Issues for Its Implementation
Supporting Industry Promotion Policies in APEC – Synthesis Report, 2017
Supporting Industry Promotion Policies in APEC - Case Study on Mexico, 2017
Supporting Industry Promotion Policies in APEC – Case Study on Australia, 2017
Supporting Industry Promotion Policies in APEC - Case Study on Viet Nam, 2017
Study of APEC Best Practices in Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programs
Trends in Trade Finance across the APEC Region (Issues Paper No. 4), 2013
APEC's Achievements in Trade Facilitation 2007-2010 - Final Assessment of TFAPII, 2012
Aggregate Measurement of Trade Transaction Costs Reduction in APEC 2007-2010, 2011
Trade Facilitation through Customs Procedures: Assessment of APEC’s Progress, 2011
Reducing Business Travel Costs: The Success of APEC’s Business Mobility Initiatives, 2011
The Links Between Trade, Investment and Structural Reform, 2008
Investment
Research and Survey on the Dispute Prevention and Mitigation System in APEC Economies, 2026
Pursuing Investment Facilitation and Quality in APEC (Policy Brief No. 69), 2025
Companies’ Best Practices on Long-Term Foreign Direct Investment Within APEC Economies, 2025
Evaluating Progress on the Aotearoa Plan of Action: Trade and Investment Perspective, 2023
Review of the APEC Investment Facilitation Action Plan (IFAP): Forging a Stronger Recovery, 2023
The FDI Network, Global Value Chain Participation and Economic Upgrading (Policy Brief No. 46), 2022
Do Public Capital Investments have an Impact on Economic Growth? (Policy Brief No. 29), 2020
Facilitating Investment in APEC: Improving the Investment Climate through Good Governance, 2019
ISDS as an Instrument for Investment Promotion and Facilitation (Policy Brief No. 28), 2019
IFAP Implementation to Facilitate FDI in APEC: Updates in 2016, 2017
IFAP Implementation in Facilitating Investment for the Asia Pacific Region: 2014 Update, 2015
Recent FDI Trends in the APEC Region, 2012
IFAP Implementation in Facilitating Investment for the Asia Pacific Region, 2013
Cross-border Investment Linkages among APEC Economies: The Case of Foreign Direct Investment, 2009
The Links Between Trade, Investment and Structural Reform, 2008
Connectivity Blueprint
Peer Review and Capacity Building on APEC Infrastructure Development and Investment: Chile, 2024
APEC Connectivity Blueprint: The 2020 Mid-Term Review
Peer Review and Capacity Building on APEC Infrastructure Development and Investment: Indonesia, 2019
Case Studies on Addressing Connectivity Challenges in APEC Economies, 2018
Peer Review and Capacity Building on APEC Infrastructure Development and Investment: Viet Nam, 2018
APEC Connectivity Blueprint, 2014
Report to Implement the APEC Connectivity Blueprint, 2014
Outcome Report: Symposium on APEC Connectivity Blueprint, 2014
Supply Chain Connectivity
APEC Supply Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan 2022–2026 (SCFAP III): Mid-term Review, 2024
Final Review of the APEC Supply-Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan 2017-2020 (SCFAP-II), 2021
Study on the Application of Global Data Standards for APEC Supply Chain Connectivity (Phase 2), 2017
Study on the Application of Global Data Standards for APEC Supply Chain Connectivity (Phase 1), 2017
APEC Supply Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan 2010-2015: Final Assessment, 2016
Guidebook on Trade and Supply Chain Finance, 2015
2014 External Indicators Update for the Supply Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan, 2014
Regulatory Issues Affecting Trade and Supply Chain Finance (Issues Paper No. 8), 2014
The 2013 Interim Assessment for Supply Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan, 2013
Economic Impact of Submarine Cable Disruptions, 2013
Outcome Report: Symposium on Supply-chain Connectivity Measurement Framework, 2012
The Economic Impact of Enhanced Multimodal Connectivity in the APEC Region, 2010
A Results-oriented Approach to APEC's Supply Chain Connectivity Initiative, 2009
Logistics: Connectivity for Goods and Services, 2009
Global Supply, Value and Production Chains
Unlocking the Upstreamness Benefits in Global Value Chains (Policy Brief No. 63), 2024
Helping Businesses Build and Maintain Open, Secure and Resilient Supply Chains, 2024
The FDI Network, Global Value Chain Participation and Economic Upgrading (Policy Brief No. 46), 2022
Case Study on the Role of Services Trade in Global Value Chains: Transport Services in Chile, 2016
Services in Global Value Chains: Manufacturing-Related Services, 2015
Services, Manufacturing and Productivity (Issues Paper No. 9), 2015
Services and Manufacturing: Patterns of Linkages (Policy Brief No.10), 2014
SMEs’ Participation in Global Production Chains, (Issues Paper No. 3), 2013
Value Chain Resilience
Value Chain Resilience in the Asia Pacific: A Synthesis Report, 2015
Enhanced Resiliency of Cross-Border Value Chains: Impact Evaluation for the Asia-Pacific, 2014
Evaluation of Value Chain Connectedness in the APEC Region, 2014
Quantitative Analysis of Value Chain Strength in the APEC Region, 2014
Quantitative Analysis on Value Chain Risks in the APEC Region, 2014
Bogor Goals
APEC's Bogor Goals Dashboard, 2020
Final Review of APEC’s Progress Towards the Bogor Goals, 2020
APEC's Bogor Goals Dashboard, 2019
APEC's Bogor Goals Progress Report, 2018
APEC’s Bogor Goals Dashboard, 2018
APEC’s Bogor Goals Dashboard, 2017
Second-Term Review of APEC's Progress towards the Bogor Goals: APEC Region, 2016
Second-Term Review of APEC's Progress towards the Bogor Goals: Progress by Economy, 2016
APEC’s Bogor Goals Dashboard, 2016
APEC’s Bogor Goals Dashboard, 2015
APEC’s Bogor Goals Progress Report, 2014
APEC’s Bogor Goals Dashboard, 2014
APEC’s Bogor Goals Dashboard, 2013
APEC’s Bogor Goals Progress Report, 2012
APEC’s Bogor Goals Dashboard, 2012
Progressing towards the APEC Bogor Goals Perspectives of the APEC Policy Support Unit, 2010
Other Topics
Asia Region Funds Passport - A Study of Potential Economic Benefits and Costs, 2014
Sovereign Debt Challenges in the Euro Area: Implications for APEC (Policy Brief No. 2), 2011