APB-Net calls for results from Osaka meeting

JAKARTA (JP): The Asia Pacific Business Network (APB-Net) yesterday called on the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Osaka next month to adopt a comprehensive and concrete agenda to realize the vision of the Bogor declaration.

APB-Net said in a joint statement after its two-day meeting in Osaka ended yesterday that the agenda should cover measures in trade and investment liberalization, business facilitation and development cooperation over the next 15 to 25 years.

The statement, a copy of which was made available here, stated that any liberalization programs must accommodate the tremendous diversity in cultural background and levels of economic development among the APEC economies.

The Bogor declaration, adopted by the APEC second forum in Bogor, south of here, last November, requires developed economies to liberalize themselves by 2010 and developing economies by 2020.

"Industrialized economies of the APEC region must take the initiative in liberalization by opening up their own markets so as to encourage other member economies' efforts," the statement read.

APB-Net consists of chambers of commerce and industries from 18 APEC member economies: Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.

The APB-Net's second meeting, which was hosted by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Japanese Foreign Trade Council, was attended by 81 business leaders from 18 APEC economies.

Aburizal Bakrie, chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said after attending the meeting that member economies are encouraged to maintain the principle of comprehensiveness in their trade and investment liberalization.

"This point is directed at business leaders from all APEC economies, including from Japan, so that they will not ask for the exclusion of agricultural products from trade liberalization in the region," Aburizal said.

In its joint-statement, APB-Net called on governments in all member economies to take measures to facilitate cross-border business operations.

"The measures should include heightening transparency in government regulations, simplifying customs procedures, unifying tariff codes, easing restrictions on obtaining business visas, harmonizing standards and certificates guidelines, protecting intellectual property and establishing a framework for settling disputes," the statement said.

APB-Net also called on greater cooperation between private/business sector representatives and government officials in carrying out development programs.

Recognizing the role of small and medium-scaled enterprises in economic activities, APB-Net appealed to each APEC member economy to provide and implement policy guidelines for promoting them.

Touching on environmental measures which are assuming increasing importance in the region, the network said that intra- region environmental technology exchange should be promoted among APEC economies.

The network emphasized the importance of maintaining the principle of open regionalism within the APEC region, saying that any liberalization measures in the region should apply unconditionally and non-discriminately to APEC member economies as well as non-APEC members.

APB-Net also expressed its support of the Pacific Business Forum's proposal for a permanent business advisory body to APEC, APEC Business Council, as a way of transmitting business interests to the APEC process.

"Participants requested that APB-Net be appropriately represented on the advisory body if it is created by the APEC leaders," APB-Net said in its joint statement.

APB-Net is to operate as a network, not an institution, with an emphasis on individual enterprises as participants and business associations as facilitators. It deals principally with the promotion of networking within the business sector.

APB-Net was conceived during the second APEC senior official meetings in Bali in May last year and was formally launched as a new organization at the first APB-Net meeting in Jakarta on August last year.

The organization will conduct its third meeting next year in the Philippines prior to the APEC ministerial and leaders' meetings. (rid)