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Mining Task Force |
The mining, mineral and metal industries are very important to APEC member economies as the majority of global trade and investment in these commodities occurs in the APEC region. Some APEC members are significant producers and consumers of minerals and metals, and many APEC economies derive important economic and social benefits from the development, use and trade of minerals and metals.
From 1996 until 2005, APEC dealt with mining issues through the Group of Experts on Mineral and Energy Exploration and Development (GEMEED). From 2005 until 2007, mining was considered through the Non Ferrous Metals Dialogue (NFMD).
In 2007, APEC Ministers endorsed the establishment of the Mining Task Force (MTF). The MTF derives its mandate from priorities set by APEC Leaders and Ministers and from directions provided by Ministers Responsible for Mining.
At the 15th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Sydney in 2007, Leaders endorsed further economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region and agreed to accelerate efforts towards this objective by, "facilitating integration in sectors such as transportation, telecommunications, mining and energy."
The 2007 Ministers Responsible for Mining Meeting Statement gave direction to economies and the MTF regarding future work. Ministers agreed to APEC Mining Policy Principles, including:
- Pursue policies that enhance the sustainable production, trade and consumption of minerals and metals thereby improving the economic and social wellbeing of our people.
- Foster regular exchange between member economies about experiences with regulations, policies and practices and about significant developments in each economy's minerals and metals sector.
- Foster investment certainty in the APEC minerals sector through the pursuit of open minerals and metals markets and the articulation of clear and predictable investment policies.
- Promote cost effective, evidence based, transparent and objective-based measures which improve the efficiency in the regulation of the minerals industry to contribute to economic, environment and social development outcomes.
- Encourage, support and promote initiatives by the minerals and metals industry and stakeholders that contribute to national and international sustainable development goals.
- Support capacity building activities for sustainable development so that all APEC Economies are able to maximise the benefits and minimise the impacts from minerals resource development.
Achievements
The 3rd Mining Task Force (MTF) meeting was held on 26-27 July 2009 in Singapore. Among other issues, the MTF discussed the current situation in the mining sector and the MTF members noted the work being done on best practices in investment attractiveness in mining.
Further cooperation with international organisations in mining and metallurgy was endorsed at the meeting. The MTF will thus maintain cooperation with the World Bank and establish contact with the International Nickel Study Group, the International Copper Study Group, the International Lead and Zinc Study Group, and the OECD Steel Committee.
The MTF expressed its concern with the European Union's classification and labeling of nickel-containing substances and encouraged APEC member economies to establish effective dialogue with the European regulators to develop a sound classification methodology.
A "Conference on Sustainable Development of Mining Sector in the APEC Region" was held on 23-24 July 2009 in Singapore. The Conference focused on how to apply the concept of sustainable development in the mining sector in APEC based on the comprehensive review of the latest trends in this sector. Members agreed to finalise a draft report from the MTF to complement the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) 2010/2011 review of sustainable development of mining for endorsement by APEC Ministers Responsible for Mining, with a view to submitting the report to the UNCSD in 2010.
A Workshop on "Creating a Framework for Corporate Social Responsibility Stakeholder Dialogue: Mining Industry Operations" was held on 23-24 September 2009 in Peru to intensify the dialogue among governments (in particular, local representatives), industry, and civil society groups regarding how best to improve the efficiency, transparency and accountability concerning the sustainable development of an economy's natural resource endowment at the local, regional and national levels. The workshop featured 20 speakers, representatives from 11 APEC member economies and 118 total attendees.
Current Activities
For 2009-2010, the MTF's work plan focuses on sustainable development, investment and best anti-crisis practices in mining.
Planning is under way for a three day workshop on the topic "Balancing competing demands of mining, community and the environment to achieve sustainable development in the mining sector." The workshop will target government officials and industry representatives in developing APEC economies. In addition to building members' capacity with respect to mine rehabilitation and reclamation, the objective is to help members implement policies that incorporate a deeper consideration of the environmental and social implications of mining. The workshop will run in late 2010.
The 4th MTF Meeting is planned to take place in the margins of the second Senior Officials' Meetings which will be held in Sapporo, Japan, between 24 May and 4 June 2010.
Mining Task Force - Key Contacts
Chair
Mr. Ma Yongzheng
Director
Division of International Cooperation
Department of Science and Technology & International Cooperation
Ministry of Land and Resources of the People's Republic of China
Tel: +86-10-66558407
Fax: +86-10-66127247
Email: yzma@mail.mlr.gov.cn
Deputy Chair
Mr. Alexei Pinchuk
Deputy Director
Department for Basic Branches of Industry
Ministry of Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation
7, Kitaygorodsky proezd, 109074,
Moscow RUSSIA
E-mail: Pinchuk@minprom.gov.ru
APEC Secretariat
Mr. Andrey Y Plam
Director (Program)
E-mail: ayp@apec.org
Reviewed on: 1 April 2010