|
TRADE POLICY/ NEGOTIATIONS ASIA PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC) APEC: The Transportation Working Group (TPT) of APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) has a number of ongoing projects including road harmonization and aviation as well as maritime liberalization in which X-20 plays a leading role for the Department. The next meeting of APEC heads of State is scheduled for October 2003. The next meeting of transport ministers is Spring, 2004. Activity: Continued DOT participation and leadership in APEC. Background: The APEC Transportation Working Group (TPT) was created in 1991 and chaired by the United States through 1996. The Philippines is its current chair. The purpose of the TPT is to facilitate the expansion of all transport modes within the Asia Pacific region. Since the inception of the TPT, DOT, (managed by X-20) in cooperation with the State Department, has sought to address the transportation issues that impede the development of trade in the region. The TPT actively solicits participation of the private sector in developing work programs that respond to real world conditions and problems. Private sector participants in TPT meetings include airlines, shipping lines, and transportation equipment manufacturers. The TPT meets biannually. In addition to various initiatives launched by APEC Transportation Ministers during their first Ministerial meeting in 1995 (hosted by the United States), the TPT has a number of ongoing projects, including road harmonization, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), aviation and maritime liberalization, and seafarers' training projects. The TPT also provides the guidelines for ensuring the transportation sector meets the goals of the “Bogor Declaration”-- free and open trade. Canada hosted the second APEC Transportation Ministerial, June 22-24, 1997, in Victoria, Canada. Peru hosted the third Transportation Ministerial in April 2002. The fourth Ministerial will be held in Bali, Indonesia, in early 2004. The
Department was successful in making a major breakthrough in trade liberalization
in APEC, having tabled and developed an aviation liberalization initiative
in APEC that led to the first multilateral "Open Skies" aviation
accord. At the Brunei "Leaders Meeting" the United States
and APEC partners Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore announced
that they had reached agreement in principle, on a Multilateral Agreement
on the Liberalization of International Air Transport. The Department
continues to lead efforts to liberalize all transport services in APEC,
and to cooperate on safety, security, human resource development, and
technology exchange. The DOT spearheaded the establishment of the APEC
Transportation Working Group, which is the most successful working group
in APEC. The United States continues to provide overall leadership for
the group in the capacity of Deputy Chair, and principally on the issues
of safety and liberalization of transport services. Korea will host
the 22nd meeting of the Transportation Working Group in September 2003.
The United States will assume the chair of the working group at the
conclusion of that meeting.
Revised on
Friday, January 16, 2004
|
