REPORT OF THE SC/CT SPECIAL AIR SERVICES MEETING
17 OCTOBER 2000

In response to the Auckland Leaders¡¦ Declaration of September 1999, which supports implementation of the eight steps for more competitive air services, and the identification of further steps to liberalise air services in accordance with the Bogor Goals.

• The SC/CT special air services meeting, having considered:

• The synopses of submissions compiled by coordinating economies on each of the eight recommendations on more competitive air services;

• Additional think pieces prepared by individual economies in response to the Leaders¡¦ Declaration;

• Report by like-minded economies progress in developing plurilateral arrangements, and

• The overview of the review of implementation of the eight recommendations for more competitive air services

Recommends that the Lead Shepherd of the TPT-WG report to SOM that:

1. While there is clear evidence of APEC wide implementation of the recommendations, the extent to which they have been implemented varies considerably; and views on the pace and direction for further liberalisation also vary.

2. While the TPT-WG is the most appropriate forum for implementing the eight recommendations for more competitive air services, it is ultimately the responsibility of individual economies to continue to implement steps to meet the requirements of the Leaders¡¦ Declaration.

3. Implementation of the eight recommendations within APEC is being approached bilaterally and plurilaterally. Some APEC members are also pursuing liberalisation of air services arrangements multilaterally.

These approaches are not mutually exclusive and economies should be encouraged to continue to liberalise by the means most appropriate to individual circumstances in line with the overall APEC liberalisation agenda, provided that progress towards liberalisation of international air services is inclusive and transparent.

To ensure this, each economy is encouraged to report annually to the TPT-WG in session on its progress towards implementing the eight recommendations, including the proposals yet to be agreed on widening and deepening the measures within APEC as well as status reports by those economies participating in discussions aimed at developing a plurilateral arrangement. Each economy may also include in its report comments on its pursuit of liberalisation in other fora.

4. When any APEC member identifies scope for further coordinated action in APEC to implement any part of the eight recommendations, that member will raise it in the TPT-WG in session.

5. The annual implementation reports and the opportunity for revisiting the issue of APEC wide coordinated action will form a permanent item on the TPT-WG agenda.

6. Progress towards implementation the decisions taken above will be reported annually to Leaders through SOM; and

7. That, if requested, the TPT-WG will share its experiences and the information it has gathered to date in the survey and the review with other international fora.

The SC/CT also recommends that:

the overview and synopses of the review of the eight recommendations form part of the Lead Shepherd¡¦s report to SOM; and that

submissions from economies on the benefits and difficulties of implementing the eight recommendations are posted on the TPT-WG web site.