Committee on Trade and Investment

The Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI) was established in November 1993 by the Declaration of an APEC Trade and Investment Framework. APEC Leaders and Ministers direct its work and APEC Senior Officials provide guidance. The scope of the CTI’s work was expanded and further clarified by the Osaka Action Agenda in 1995.

The CTI provides a forum for APEC’s 21 member economies to deliberate trade and policy issues. It works to reduce impediments to business activity in the areas outlined by the Osaka Action Agenda, with the objective of helping APEC economies achieve free and open trade and investment. The objectives of CTI are to:

Create a coherent APEC perspective and voice on global trade and investment issues and increase cooperation among members on key issues.
Pursue opportunities to

Liberalize and expand trade, facilitate a more open environment for investment and develop initiatives to improve the flow of goods, services, capital and technology within the region
Consult on issues of importance on that context and develop consensus to expand and strengthen these flows within the region and globally
Reduce and remove distortions which impede these flows in a manner consistent with applicable General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) principles.

The CTI oversees eight sub-groups

The CTI oversees three industry dialogues

Last page update: January 2021

Current Activities

CTI’s priorities and key activities

Support for the multilateral trading system
Advancing regional economic integration, including implementing the Lima Declaration on the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific
Trade facilitation and strengthening connectivity and infrastructure
Promoting innovative development and inclusive approaches
Engagement with the business sector and industry dialogues.

An overview of the work of the CTI and its 11 sub-fora—the dialogues, initiatives and achievements made in 2020—are encapsulated in the 2020 CTI Annual Report to Ministers.

CTI initiatives that were endorsed in 2019/2020 or are currently under implementation

Peer Review and Capacity Building on Infrastructure on APEC Infrastructure Development and Investment (PNG)
Advancing Economic Inclusion through Trade and Investment in Asia Pacific Region
TPD on Understanding Non-Tariff Measures on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Sectors to Enhance Trade to Improve Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation in the Asia-Pacific Region
Enhancing Trade Policy Transparency in APEC
Work Program on Environment-related Provisions in FTAs/RTAs
Work Plan on Digital Trade and E-Commerce for the Realization of FTAAP
Development of the APEC Trade in Value Added (TiVA) database and related tools — Report Two
Annual Work Plan for the Asia-Pacific Model E-Port Network (APMEN)
Capacity Building Workshop on RTA/FTA Negotiation Skills on Transparency
Capacity Building Workshop on Promoting Digital Economy
FTAAP Capacity Building Workshop on E-Commerce Elements in FTAs/RTAs
Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in Digital Content Trade
Capacity Building and Technical Assistance to Implement Programs Related to WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement Article 1: Publication and Availability of Information– Phase 2
Capacity Building and Technical Assistance to Implement Programs Related to WTO TFA Article 3 (Advance Rulings) - Phase 3
Promoting Smart Cities Through Quality Infrastructure Investment in Rapidly Urbanizing APEC Region
Next Generation MSME-Specific Provisions and Possible Next Steps
Public-Private Dialogue on Promoting Consumer Protection in the Dispute Resolution and Redress Mechanisms in E-Commerce
Public-Private Dialogue on Emerging Opportunities and Challenges in Implementing the APEC Connectivity Blueprint 2025
Workshop on Effective Domestic Policymaking for Stimulating Economic Upgrading Through Global Value Chains

CTI initiatives completed in 2019 and 2020

Average Tariffs in the APEC Region have Fallen from 1989 to 2012

Average applied tariffs in APEC economies have been reduced from 16.9 percent in 1989, when APEC was established, to around 5.2 percent in 2012

CTI 2013 Work Plan

In 2013 CTI adopted a work program organized around five priority areas that contribute to APEC 2013 Priorities under the theme of “Resilient Asia-Pacific, Engine of Global Growth.”