Introduction

As part of its contribution to the APEC electronic commerce work program, TPT-WG could establish a web site and promote the use of that web site as the primary means of communication between TPT-WG members both for meetings and for inter-sessional work.

Background

The APEC Secretariat has a web site which includes information about the structure and activities of APEC, papers relating to Leaders and SOM meetings and including details of Advisory Groups and working Groups. A copy of the APEC Homepage and the table of contents for the section on APEC Working Groups and Experts Groups is attached. The proposed TPT-WG web site could be an adjunct to the APEC Secretariat web site. However, the Secretariat has limited resources to manage the web site which would limit the use which could be made of the site by TPT-WG members.

Working Groups are using web sites in a variety of ways to provide information about the groups and their activities. These web sites are usually not part of the APEC Secretariat web site, but can be accessed by hotlinks from the APEC Working Groups and Experts Group section of the APEC Secretariat web site.

To date it appears only the Telecommunications Working Group and the Sub-Committee for Customs Procedures (SCCP) are using the web site as the primary method of communicating information and papers relating to working group meetings.

Australia understands the TEL Working Group had attempted to use the APEC Secretariat’s web site for dissemination of papers for its TEL 16 meeting with limited success (relying on voluntary out-of-hours work by Secretariat staff). TEL had earlier unsuccessfully requested SOM’s approval for additional resources for the APEC Secretariat for purposes of enabling TEL to disseminate its papers via the APEC Secretariat web site.

Responding to an offer from Korea, the APII Cooperation Centre web site was used to host documents for the TEL 17 meeting (March 1998) and TEL now propose to use this site as the on-going focus for its internet-based information sharing activities.

The Customs web site was set up by Canada Customs last year for similar reasons.

Proposal

That the APEC TPT-WG consider the creation of a TPT-WG web site which, over time, becomes the primary method of communication between member economies. Specifically, the web site could be used :

To distribute all details about administrative arrangements for meetings, including accommodation arrangements, meeting agendas and timing of subgroup meetings

To distribute all papers submitted for consideration at the meeting

To publish the outcomes of the meeting

To provide a bulletin board (or other interactive format) to assist in progressing inter-sessional work between member economies.

To publish the results of TPT-WG projects

To provide contact details for project coordinators and other TPT-WG participants.

Further details

There are a range of issues which would need to be considered about the design and use of the site. The site would be linked to the APEC Secretariat web site, and any other relevant APEC or transport web sites considered appropriate – these would need to be identified. The server location of the web site is important if it is to be administered by economies on a rotating basis and it would also be important to have an efficient system for putting material onto the site, and maintaining the currency of the site.

The web site will also need to be linked in with other relevant sites outside APEC such as the TRADEGATE ECA site which hosts the ITIGG, an important vehicle for trade facilitation, harmonisation and electronic commerce, and the ECE, TRADEX site, given the importance of the work of CEFACT to electronic commerce/EDIFACT.

Benefits

Establishing the web site and agreeing to use it as a primary communication vehicle between member economies would have the following benefits:

A primary demonstration of TPT-WG’s commitment to electronic commerce and its benefits

A positive contribution to the APEC Leaders electronic commerce workprogram

Reduction in the costs for all economies of copying papers or transmitting papers by fax prior to meetings

Reduction in costs for the host economy for TPT-WG meetings in providing copies for all economies of outcome papers from the meeting

More efficient communication between the host economy and other member economies in making administrative arrangements for the meeting

An opportunity for significant improvement in the ability of member economies to progress TPT-WG work outside TPT-WG meetings by using a bulletin board or other interactive part of the web site

Other considerations

If TPT-WG agrees to proceed in this way, it will be necessary to have arrangements in place to provide information to TPT-WG participants who cannot access the web site. This should be possible through a system which assumes the web site will be used for everyone but enables those who cannot access it to advise their need for continued paper or fax communication.

Australia would be willing to fund the development of a web site and administer the web site for the first two years. Australia may be able to continue to do this work for longer, but it may be appropriate to consider rotating responsibility for management of the web site around other economies to maintain interest in and enthusiasm for using it as a communication method and also to build skills in the use of the web site. Alternatively, other economies with greater experience in this area may wish to take on the initial establishment work.

As Korea and then Chile have offered to host the next two TPT-WG meetings, their agreement to and participation in this project would be important to its initial success.

The web site should be established in a manner which enables its administration to be transferred between member economies to enable the web site to be maintained in the event that Australia, or any other economy, is unable to continue to manage the web site.

The web site should be established in such a way that all member economies can access the web site and that all material can be placed directly onto the web site by member economies responsible for the particular information or material.

Some simple security mechanisms would be needed to limit the ability to place material on the web site to TPT-WG participants (to prevent unwanted advertising or irrelevant information being placed on the site)

The site would need continuing management to ensure material is placed in the right places on the site and that out of date material is removed.

Sponsorship of the site, or its development or management, could be sought from private sector transport interests.

Recommendation

That the TPT-WG agree to:

(1) the establishment of a TPT-WG web site with three primary aims:

publication of administrative arrangements and papers relating to each TPT-WG meeting, commencing with the 14^th meeting in Korea;

use of the web site for publication of contact officers for and the results of all TPT-WG projects

inclusion in the web site of a means of interactive communication between TPT-WG participants

(2) Australia undertaking primary responsibility for development of the site but in consultation with delegates from Korea and Chile and participation by any other member economy interested in this proposal.

This page was last updated on 10 Aug, 2006