The mobility of business people is a key factor in the promotion of free and open trade. APEC member economies are committed to enhancing business mobility by exchanging information on regulatory regimes and streamlining immigration processes for business travellers and temporary residence of business people. It is one the areas of the Osaka Action Agenda (OAA), adopted by APEC Economic Leaders in 1995.
In response to the OAA, the Business Mobility Group (BMG) was formed in 1997 when the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) made the facilitation of business travel a priority. Since its establishment, the group maintains close consultation with the business community, represented by the ABAC, in the development of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) scheme and other BMG initiatives.
The recognition of the importance of mobility in the region is reiterated in the 2011 APEC Economic Leaders’ Declaration which endorsed the APEC Travel Facilitation Initiative to explore ways to make travel in the region faster, easier, and more secure. The BMG is dedicated to working on initiatives that improve the efficiency and comfort of APEC business travelers, while ensuring passenger safety and border security. In so doing, the group is to enhance cooperation with other relevant APEC working groups.
The APEC Business Travel Card
As a major support to business mobility, the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) scheme provides bona fide business travellers with pre-cleared entry to participating APEC economies. The ABTC holders enjoy fast-track entry and exit through special APEC lanes at major airports, and multiple short term entry to these economies.
With Russia's accession to the scheme in May 2010, all of APEC's 21 member economies now participate. The fully participating economies are: Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Chile; China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Philippines; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; and Viet Nam. Canada, Russia and the United States are transitional members.
According to the APEC Policy Support Unit study on “The Impact of Business Mobility in Reducing Trade Transaction Costs in APEC”, the ABTC scheme reduced transaction costs for ABTC holders by 38% between March-July 2010 and March-July 2011, representing a total savings of USD3.7 million. Total at-the-border immigration time savings experienced by ABTC holders for the period March-July 2010 through March-July 2011 is 62,413 hours, a monetary value of USD1.9 million.
In 2011, a new security-enhanced APEC Business Travel Card was circulated. The new card is equipped with features that can prevent alteration and counterfeiting.
The APEC Business Travel Handbook
APEC Business Travel Handbook is a practical tool which provides a quick reference guide to the visa and entry requirements of APEC member economies. It lists the basic eligibility criteria and procedures for applying for visas and the terms and conditions that apply to business travelers. This information is provided for both short-term business visits and temporary residence for business people in APEC member economies.
Other key achievements of the BMG include:
The group continues to work on building economies' capacity to process and adopt machine readable travel documents, to incorporate biometric data and to improve travel document security and integrity, thereby improving security and border control processes.
It also develops best practice travel document examination regimes across the region to assist with the detection of fraudulent documentation, including through the Regional Movement Alert System (RMAS) initiative.
The group is also preparing and upgrading standards to improve the security of travel documentation and immigration legal infrastructure, so as to enhance the security of borders and address the illegal movement of people.
The group also examines ways to streamline processing procedures for business travellers, and individual economy’s actions to facilitate business travel, for example by expanding visa-waiver programmes or extending the validity of multiple-entry visas.
The BMG sets out its goals for 2012 in response to the APEC priorities set out in the APEC 2012 Russia year. They are: liberalizing trade and investment and expanding regional economic integration; strengthening food security; establishing reliable supply chains; and fostering innovative growth.
During the First APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting held in Moscow, Russia, the BMG held a series of activities on 4-7 February 2012. The group reviewed the implementation of the BMG goals in 2011 and agreed on a set of goals for 2012. These include: enhancing traveler facilitation and border integrity in the APEC region; making it easier and faster for people to travel to do business in the APEC region; and contributing further to the promotion of secure and safe trade.
Some areas of work which the BMG continue to develop include enhancing the efficiency of the ABTC, trial use of ABTC cardholders’ biometrics through existing Automated Border Control Systems, further developing of the RMAS, border capabilities, and enhancing the immigration service standards. The BMG is scheduled to meet twice in 2012, and will do most of its work intersessionally through exchanges of information with the aim of producing policy recommendations and follow up actions on these issues.
Following up on the APEC Travel Facilitation Initiative, the BMG will enhance its cooperation with other APEC working groups, such as the Counter-Terrorism Task Force (CTTF) and the Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP). In 2011, the BMG had undertaken joint activities with the SCCP on the inter-agency collaboration and information sharing among border agencies and will develop the concept further in 2012.
As travel facilitation covers a wide arrange of issues, such cooperation is necessary to bring synergy among various initiatives and resources of the relevant working groups. The BMG will also continue its close consultation with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) to include private sector inputs. ABAC is invited to the BMG meetings to provide business perspectives on business mobility issues.
Agnieszka HOLLAND (Ms)
Convenor
Assistant Secretary
Border Security Policy Branch
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
ACT, Australia
Email:
Pangeran Ibrani SITUMORANG (Mr)
Program Director
APEC Secretariat
Email: