14th APEC ECONOMIC LEADERS' MEETING
HA NOI DECLARATION
Ha Noi, Viet Nam, 18-19 November 2006
We, Economic Leaders of Member Economies of the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC), gathered in Ha Noi, Viet Nam on 18-19 November 2006
for the 14th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting under the APEC 2006 theme of
"Towards a Dynamic Community for Sustainable Development and Prosperity."
With a strong commitment to achieving the vision of
stability, security and prosperity for the Asia-Pacific region, we agreed to
make every effort for realizing APEC's goals of free and open trade and
investment. We dedicated ourselves to preventing threats to sustainable
development, to building a secure and favorable business environment and to
enhancing human security. We pledged to continue our work towards a dynamic and
harmonious Asia-Pacific community by building strong societies for the
well-being of our peoples.
1. Advancing Free Trade and Investment
We reaffirmed that support for the Doha Development Agenda (DDA)
remains a top priority of APEC. The consequences of the failure of the Doha
Round would be too grave for our economies and for the global multilateral
trading system. We should, therefore, spare no efforts to break the current
deadlocks and achieve an ambitious and overall balanced outcome of the Round
with the development dimension being at its core. Our will and resolve were
stated in the 14th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting Statement on the DDA of the
WTO.
We acknowledged the role of high-quality, consistent,
transparent and comprehensive Regional Trade Agreements/Free Trade Agreements (RTAs/FTAs)
in advancing trade liberalization and the need to ensure that RTAs/FTAs lead to
greater trade liberalization and genuine reductions in trade transaction costs.
We commended the completion of model measures for six RTAs/FTAs chapters. We
reaffirmed that the model measures would serve as the reference for APEC member
economies negotiating high-quality FTAs. We also reiterated the non-binding and
voluntary nature of the model measures, bearing in mind that they will not
prejudice the positions of APEC members in their existing and future RTAs/FTAs
negotiations. We instructed Officials to continue work on model measures in
2007, so model measures for as many commonly accepted RTAs/FTAs chapters as
possible are developed by 2008, as we called for in 2005 in Busan.
We recognized that unprecedented economic developments in the
Asia-Pacific region are drawing our economies closer together. We noted that our
business communities have highlighted the implications of the growing number of
diverse FTAs in the Asia-Pacific and that other regional arrangements are
emerging. We reiterated our commitment to greater economic integration in the
Asia-Pacific region and pledged to strengthen our efforts towards this end. We
shared the APEC Business Advisory Council's (ABAC) views that while there are
practical difficulties in negotiating a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific at
this time, it would nonetheless be timely for APEC to seriously consider more
effective avenues towards trade and investment liberalization in the
Asia-Pacific region. Therefore, while affirming our commitments to the Bogor
Goals and the successful conclusion of the WTO/DDA negotiations, we instructed
Officials to undertake further studies on ways and means to promote regional
economic integration, including a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific as a
long-term prospect, and report to the 2007 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in
Australia.
We noted with satisfaction the progress made by member
economies in implementing the Busan Roadmap towards the Bogor Goals, which
demonstrates APEC's commitment to achieving free and open trade in the
Asia-Pacific. We welcomed and endorsed the Hanoi Action Plan to implement the
Busan Roadmap towards the Bogor Goals, which is comprised of specific measures,
schedules, and capacity building initiatives. In this regard, we emphasized the
importance of measures aimed at reducing business transaction costs and building
a more secure and favorable business environment. We highlighted numerous steps
taken this year to carry forward the Busan Business Agenda of the Busan Roadmap,
including the following:
Concluding that APEC has met the Shanghai
target, set in 2001, of a five-percent reduction in trade transaction costs
by 2006, we welcomed the framework for the next Trade Facilitation Action
Plan, targeting a further reduction of trade transaction costs by five
percent in the APEC region by 2010;
We welcomed the expanded work program on
investment liberalization and facilitation in collaboration with ABAC and
other relevant international organizations;
Affirming the importance of strong intellectual
property rights (IPR) protection and enforcement to economic growth and
trade in the Asia-Pacific region, we endorsed the two new Model Guidelines
under the APEC Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Initiative to inform citizens
about the importance of IPR protection and enforcement and to secure supply
chains against counterfeit and pirated goods. We called on economies to
continue their work to address IPR protection and enforcement challenges in
the region in close consultation with the private sector; and
We welcomed the multi-year Private Sector
Development Workplan designed to cut red tape and lift the quality of
business regulations, which would particularly benefit small and
medium-sized enterprises. We instructed the SMEs Ministers to lead
coordination efforts within APEC.
We instructed Ministers to ensure steady implementation of
the Hanoi Action Plan in close collaboration with ABAC. We also appreciated
relevant recommendations from ABAC and encouraged APEC fora to take them into
consideration when developing their work programs.
We recognized the need to intensify work on structural
reforms and took note of progress in carrying out the Leaders' Agenda to
Implement Structural Reform toward 2010 (LAISR 2010). We welcomed the completion
of the Report on Socio-Economic Disparity in the APEC region and stressed the
importance of enhancing activities across APEC fora in order to combat
socio-economic disparity issues in the APEC region.
We noted the importance of open and robust financial systems
and the orderly adjustment of global imbalances through fiscal sustainability,
price and exchange rate flexibility, reforms to promote investment, strengthened
financial markets, more balanced domestic demand, and improved corporate
governance and legal infrastructure across the Asia-Pacific region as identified
by APEC Finance Ministers. We welcomed the progress made on IMF reform,
including quota and voice reform, and called upon IMF members to work towards
its timely conclusion. Recognizing the importance of financial stability for the
region's continuing economic growth and development, we noted the discussion at
the IMF examining the possible creation of a new liquidity instrument that could
help prevent financial crises in the region.
As part of our continued work to advance the 2002 Leaders'
Pathfinder "Statement to Implement APEC Policies on Trade and the Digital
Economy," we adopted the "APEC Technology Choice Principles" as a new pathfinder
initiative to spur the cycle of innovation and opportunity and to promote
economic development across the region. We also called on member economies to
exercise appropriate oversight to achieve the objective that central government
agencies use only legal software and other copyright materials; that such bodies
implement effective policies intended to prevent copyright infringement on their
computer systems and via the Internet, in accordance with relevant international
conventions and domestic laws and regulations concerning copyright and related
rights; and that central government funds are not used by contractors or
recipient institutions to purchase illegal software or other illegal copyright
materials. In addition, we recognized the need for continued efforts to increase
capacity building to assist economies of different levels of development to
strengthen IPR protection and enforcement.
2. Enhancing Human Security
We condemned terrorist acts, which are posing serious threats
world-wide. In keeping with our commitment to advance regional prosperity and
sustainable development and our complementary mission of ensuring security for
our peoples, we are determined to continue efforts to combat terrorism in every
form and manifestation. We reaffirmed that any measures taken to combat
terrorism must comply with our international obligations.
We commended the progress in implementing the commitments
adopted in Bangkok in 2003 to dismantle trans-boundary terrorist groups, to
eliminate the danger posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
and their means of delivery, and to confront other direct threats to the
security of our region. Toward this end, we acknowledged the need to take
appropriate individual and joint actions, consistent with each economy's
circumstances, to further those commitments, including the need to protect
legitimate financial and commercial systems from abuse.
We welcomed the APEC 2006 counter-terrorism initiatives
endorsed by Ministers and encouraged member economies to take appropriate
individual and joint actions, in accordance with international law and
consistent with each economy's circumstances, to implement the existing
commitments with a view to enhancing secure trade in the region.
Acknowledging the significance of counter-terrorism efforts
to realizing APEC's core goals of free trade and investment, we reiterated the
importance of counter-terrorism work in APEC. We emphasized total supply chain
security as a priority for 2007 and welcomed a study by APEC economies to look
at ways to facilitate the recovery of trade in the event of major disruptions to
the global supply chain caused by terrorist attack or other calamities.
We agreed to take forward in 2007 further cooperation and capacity building
activities to counter the financing of terrorism. We welcomed measures to
improve aviation security and encouraged member economies to further share
strategies and develop best practices to defend the food supply from deliberate
contamination. We welcomed the expansion of the Regional Movement Alert System (RMAS)
and noted that the system is open to additional member economies.
We endorsed the APEC Action Plan on Prevention and Response
to Avian and Influenza Pandemics adopted in May 2006 and we affirmed our
commitment to its implementation. We welcomed the Beijing consensus adopted at
the APEC Symposium on Emerging Infectious Diseases. We commended the
collaboration in APEC on health and emergency preparedness and urged continued
multi-sectoral, regional and international cooperation on policies and
infrastructure to mitigate pandemic influenza. We called on expanded capacity
building and technical collaboration between economies, and urged deepened
engagement of the private sector to help ensure continuity of business, trade
and essential services in the event of a pandemic outbreak. We welcomed the Life
Science Innovation Forum's plan to discuss ways to address these challenges in
conjunction with other APEC fora.
We agreed to enhance cooperation within APEC on HIV/AIDS, and
resolved to expand efforts towards combating the spread of HIV/AIDS, ensuring
the protection of the rights of those living with the disease; and achieving the
United Nations declared goal of universal access to comprehensive prevention
programs, treatment, care and support by 2010.
We noted APEC's value-added role and cooperative efforts in
dealing with emergency preparedness and disaster response. Recognizing that
large-scale natural disasters that affect one economy can affect all of us, we
urged member economies to further intensify cooperation, including with the
private sector, to maximize regional available resources in order to better
prepare the region for disasters and post-disaster rehabilitation and
reconstruction. We also took note of the importance of cooperation in developing
and sharing new technologies and adapting the existing ones, including in
agriculture, to mitigate the damage caused by natural disasters.
We reiterated that energy security is critical for
sustainable economic development. Noting the challenges of meeting rapidly
growing energy demands while minimizing environmental effects, we urged member
economies to continue to work to facilitate energy investments and cross-border
energy trade, to develop new and renewable energy sources and technologies to
ensure cleaner use of fossil fuels, to boost energy efficiency and conservation,
to enhance emergency preparedness and to better protect critical energy
infrastructure. We commended the launch of the APEC Biofuels Task Force. We
instructed Ministers to report to us in 2007 on ways in which APEC might further
contribute to responding to these challenges through pursuing policies and
technologies that promote the development of cleaner energy and the improvement
of energy efficiency, thereby enabling economies to meet increasing energy needs
with a lower environmental impact and to address climate change objectives.
3. Building Stronger Societies and a More Dynamic and
Harmonious Community
While we noted with satisfaction the important progress
achieved this year, we understood many other tasks remain to be fulfilled in
order to build stronger societies and a more dynamic and harmonious community.
We recognized the importance of economic and technical
cooperation to ensure equitable growth and shared prosperity in the region and
global competitiveness as a foundation to advance trade and investment
liberalization and facilitation. We welcomed the outcomes and efforts to
strengthen the prioritization and effective implementation of economic and
technical cooperation through APEC fora. These achievements will ensure more
focused economic and technical cooperation and bring a more strategic
perspective to APEC's capacity building and technical assistance. We reiterated
that education and capacity building remain a priority within the APEC agenda.
We welcomed the contributions by the People's Republic of
China, Republic of Korea and the United States to the APEC Support Fund to
advance economic and technical cooperation to ensure equitable and shared
prosperity. We welcomed earlier contributions by Australia and Chinese Taipei to
the Fund. We also appreciated Japan's continuous contribution to the Trade and
Investment Liberalization and Facilitation (TILF) Fund. We encouraged member
economies' further contributions to the APEC TILF and APEC Support Fund with a
view to providing more resources for facilitating trade and investment and
implementing capacity building activities.
We also endorsed the APEC Port Service Network Initiative to
facilitate cooperation and communication among ports and related sectors in APEC
member economies.
We underlined the importance of small and medium sized
enterprises and urged member economies to make every effort to develop and
implement specific measures to improve their competitiveness, innovation and
entrepreneurship in line with the "Hanoi Declaration on Strengthening SME
Competitiveness for Trade and Investment" and "the Daegu Initiative on SME
Innovation Action Plan".
We identified corruption as one of the greatest obstacles to
economic and social development, agreed to fight corruption and usher in a
community of integrity by effectively implementing APEC Anti-corruption and
Transparency (ACT) Task Force's initiatives through enforcement of anti-bribery
law, prosecution, law enforcement, and denial of safe haven. We endorsed the
APEC 2006 Key Deliverables on Prosecuting Corruption, Strengthening Governance
and Promoting Market Integrity, and encouraged APEC economies to strengthen APEC's work and to complete a progress report on the implementation of ACT
commitments by 2007. We instructed Senior Officials to work with ABAC and other
business leaders to strengthen corporate governance to assure greater economic
opportunities and prosperity.
We affirmed the significance of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) for APEC's development. We acknowledged the efforts made in
reaching the Brunei Goals on Internet access and instructed Ministers to further
facilitate achievement of these goals. We reaffirmed the importance of realizing
the Asia-Pacific Information Society. We recognized the significance of the
cross-border privacy rules concept in ensuring responsible and accountable
cross-border information flows without creating unnecessary barriers.
We attached great importance to the APEC priority on
promoting community linkages with a view to generating better understanding and
trust among APEC members. We endorsed the Hoi An Declaration on Promoting
Tourism adopted by APEC Tourism Ministers and urged member economies to further
explore opportunities for tourism cooperation and to identify the impediments to
the travel and tourism industry. We welcomed the APEC Inter-Cultural and Faith
Initiative endorsed by Ministers and acknowledged that in order to support
economic growth and to promote a healthy multi-cultural environment, it is
important to deepen mutual understanding and develop social interaction through
inter-cultural and faith dialogue in the APEC region.
We emphasized the need to make APEC more efficient and
results-oriented. We commended progress on APEC reform and endorsed the 2006
reform package. We reaffirmed that reform is a high priority and that APEC must
continue to evolve to meet new challenges and opportunities in a rapidly
changing environment. We instructed Ministers and APEC Senior Officials to
continue their work on APEC reform in 2007 and beyond, including the allocation
of greater resources, further measures to streamline the organization, to
improve evaluation and coordination, to strengthen and professionalize the
Secretariat and to develop more effective delivery mechanisms for policy
initiatives.
We endorsed in full the Joint Statement agreed by Ministers
at the 18th APEC Ministerial Meeting.
APEC Officials Login
