In 2007, APEC Leaders endorsed a detailed, parallel and policy-oriented Forward Work Program for LAISR (Leaders' Agenda to Implement Structural Reform), under the five policy areas of regulatory reform, competition policy, public sector governance, corporate governance, and strengthening economic and legal infrastructure. This work program will be progressively implemented from 2007 to 2010.

In 2007, the EC progressed this structural reform work program by undertaking the following initiatives:

• The 2007 APEC Economic Policy Report, released at the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) in Sydney in September 2007. This publication explores a range of generalized and high-level principles for good public sector governance, and considers of how institutions can be used to support the structural reform process.
• Seminar on the Role of Competition Policy in Structural Reform (June 2007). The seminar was aimed at sharing knowledge, experiences and lessons on competition policy, and to discuss and identify the importance of competition policy in the context of structural reform.
• Self-assessment by Australia and Korea using the APEC-OECD Integrated Checklist on Regulatory Reform. These experiences were shared through the Synthesis Report: The APEC-OECD Integrated Checklist for Regulatory Reform: Results of Self Assessments, 2006-2007, in Five Economies.

• A SOM Policy Dialogue on Structural Reform, held during the first Senior Officials' Meeting which examined the key elements of structural reform, exploring the links between "behind the border" microeconomic policies, economic growth and macroeconomic stability. The Dialogue, which featured keynote speakers from the OECD, World Bank, Mexico, the US and Peru, as well as business representatives, looked at why economies should begin or continue structural reform; what the pitfalls and impediments can be, and how to tackle these often complex reforms, which range from regulatory reform and improving public sector performance management to creating 'one-stop-shops' for business licensing and strengthening competition laws.
• In February in Lima, two policy roundtables were held:
  • Regulatory reform - focused on good practices and challenges in introducing regulatory reform policy, and including an examination of how tools such as the APEC-OECD Integrated Checklist on Regulatory Reform can help assess both the existing stock of regulations and evaluate new regulatory reform efforts;
  • Public sector governance: this roundtable heard from government practitioners, and business as to how an economy can effectively use results-based budgeting to help achieve a balance between accountability and innovation in the public sector.
• A Workshop on E-governance, also held in February 2008 aimed at raising awareness among member economies of the role of ICT as an enabler for good public sector governance. The discussions covered three key areas: e- administration for better accountability, e-services for better efficiency and transparency; and e-participation by citizens, for better policy making. Follow-up now planned including opportunities to engage the private sector and intensifying technical training.
• A workshop on government performance and results management took place in March and aimed at sharing best practices in planning and setting objectives for government agencies, monitoring and measuring the progress of agencies, and performance evaluation.
• A Ministerial Meeting on Structural Reform, to be hosted by Australia on 3-5 August 2008 in Melbourne will address the benefits of structural reform, with a particular focus on competition and regulatory reform; strategies for successful implementation of reform, including political considerations; and robust legislative and institutional frameworks. This will be preceded by a Deputies Meeting, also in Australia, in June 2008, to finalize agendas and issues for consideration.
• A Seminar on Best Practices in Regulation and Promotion of Efficiency in Transport Infrastructure Facilities, to be held tentatively in Lima on 15-16 August 2008, will facilitate information sharing on regulatory and competition policy experiences in transport infrastructure among APEC member economies. The seminar will help identify, evaluate, apply and improve best practices in regulation and promotion of efficiency in transport infrastructure in the region.
• A Seminar on Corporate Governance, also to be held tentatively in Lima on 17 August 2008, which will involve the private sector, primarily through ABAC, and also the Finance Ministers' Process (FMP), and will include discussion of targeted capacity building in 2009 and 2010.
• The 2008 APEC Economic Policy Report will focus on competition policy.