APEC PAPERLESS TRADING DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

In November 1998 APEC Leaders endorsed the APEC Blueprint for Action on Electronic Commerce, which contains the paperless trading initiative:

Quote: "8. Taking into account diverse legal and regulatory frameworks in the region, APEC Ministers agreed that member economies should endeavour to reduce or eliminate the requirement for paper documents needed for customs and other cross-border trade administration and other documents and messages relevant to international sea, air and land transport ie. "Paperless Trading" (for trade in goods), where possible, by 2005 for developed and 2010 for developing economies, or as soon as possible thereafter. To this end, relevant APEC sub-fora should examine specific initiatives." Unquote.

The APEC Electronic Commerce Steering Group (ECSG), which is co-chaired by the US and Thailand was established in February 1999 and tasked with the pursuit of the paperless trading initiative in collaboration with economies, industry and APEC working groups.

At its first meeting in June 1999, amongst other things, the ECSG agreed that:

• APEC fora such as TPT-WG, SCCP, TEL and WGTP are to include paperless trading in their respective Collective Action Plans, where relevant, and to undertake activities including joint-projects, which would contribute to the substitution of electronic techniques for paper documentation in international and cross-border trade transactions;

• Interested economies undertake joint demonstration projects, which would contribute to the paperless trading initiative and with participation from the business sector; and

• Economies share their experiences including success stories in relation to paperless trading with the Steering Group in order for other economies to benefit from the experiences.

• As part of the virtual reporting on activities and progress, economies and fora will use the TPT-WG matrix of paper requirements as a starting point. A Steering Group matrix will be produced with input from sub-fora - including their private sector participants - and economies to report on the progress of activities relating to the replacement of these paper-based transactions by electronic techniques. This matrix will be used as a reference and monitoring tool to facilitate reporting on its progress by the Steering Group to Ministers and Leaders.

The ECSG reported the outcomes of its first meeting to SOM and Trade Ministers in June 1999.

To provide further impetus to the initiative, APEC Trade Ministers, at their meeting in September 1999, stated that they want fast action on electronic commerce and approved measures to move more rapidly towards paperless trading throughout the region. Economies will be encouraged to incorporate the paperless trading initiative into their Individual Action Plans and working groups are to give higher priority to the initiative, by formulating collective actions that all economies can use to move closer to meeting the paperless trading goals.

Quote: "42. Ministers accorded high priority to the targets, stipulated in the Blueprint for Action on Electronic Commerce, for achieving paperless trading, where possible, by 2005 for developed economies and 2010 for developing economies, or as soon as possible thereafter, and instructed officials to increase their efforts to achieve these targets, and to report to Ministers Responsible for Trade at their next meeting in 2000." Unquote.

TPT-WG16 in November 1999 endorsed the following recommendations with respect to paperless trading:

• note the developments reported in implementing the paperless trading initiative and agree to support continuing work by the TPT-WG on electronic commerce;

• agree that all economies consider the proposal to include paperless trading in their Individual Action Plans and their participation in the paperless trading initiative; and

• endorse the submission of a proposal for a joint project with the SCCP on paperless trading at the 17th meeting of the TPT-WG.

In its February 2000 report to APEC Senior Officials (SOM) the ECSG advised:

• Following the Steering Group's call for joint activities the TPT-WG, CTI-SCCP and TEL will be seeking funding for a joint paperless trading project at the TPT-WG meeting in March. This project would be ground breaking in linking the use of various automated procedures by three APEC working groups working together to demonstrate the benefits of paperless trading; and

• At the request of the Steering Group, Australia, as the TPT-WG representative, has agreed to lead the work in developing the Steering Group matrix of requirements for paper documents.

Responding to Trade Ministers' call for increased efforts to achieve the paperless trading targets, SOM1 at its February 2000 meeting, agreed to request economies to report to SOM11 on their major achievements in pursuing paperless trading; examples of best practice; future priorities and objectives; major obstacles; and ways in which cooperation within APEC may assist economies in achieving the paperless trading goals. These reports would form the basis of a report by the SOM Chair to Trade Ministers meeting in June highlighting examples of best practice and of barriers, and recommending specific actions to Ministers.

• Australia (on behalf of the TPT-WG) is developing the ECSG paperless trading matrix. ECSG members, including the TPT-WG, will be called upon to provide input to the matrix in the near future.

• Australia (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) is coordinating the production of the report to SOM II and Trade Ministers.

• As agreed at TPT-WG16, Australia (Department of Transport and Regional Services) has submitted an APEC paperless trading demonstration project for approval at TPT-WG17. As directed by Ministers and Leaders, the proposed project will involve economies, industry and relevant APEC working groups (TPT-WG, SCCP and TEL) and agencies (customs and health authorities). Australia is seeking co-sponsorship for the project. All economies are encouraged to participate in the project if approved.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the above progress report be noted and that economies: advise Australia if they are interested to co-sponsor the paperless

This page was last updated on 17 March 2000