In Los Cabos in 2002 and in Bangkok in 2003, APEC Economic Leaders committed to implementing general and area-specific APEC Transparency Standards. In Chile, 2004, the Leaders acknowledged that corruption is a serious threat to sustainable economic growth, good governance, market integrity and enhanced trade and investment. Senior officials approved a recommendation by APEC anti-corruption experts to establish the Anti-Corruption Experts’ Task Force. In March 2011, the task force was upgraded to working group status following a 2010 recommendation from its members to institutionalize its work.

The Anti-Corruption and Transparency Working Group (ACTWG) is tasked to coordinate the implementation of the Santiago Commitment to Fight Corruption and Ensure Transparency, the APEC Course of Action on Fighting Corruption and the APEC Transparency Standards. In 2014, the working group adopted the Beijing Declaration on Fighting Corruption. The ACTWG also promotes cooperation in the areas of extradition, legal assistance and judicial/law enforcement (especially asset forfeiture and recovery).

Observing the urgent demand for enhancing join efforts against transnational corruption and considering the necessity to advance greater collaboration and cross-border coordination between APEC economies in the region, the ACTWG established a Network of Anti-Corruption Authorities and Law Enforcements Agencies (ACT-NET) during its 17^th Meeting in Indonesia, 2013. As a subsidiary body, ACT-NET reports annually to the ACT Chair and ACTWG on its activities.

The ACT-NET aims to supplement existing cooperation programs and assist in the implementation of ACTWG’s decisions and other international initiatives against corruption. Consistent with each economy’s legal system, it provides an informal platform for bilateral—or multilateral if appropriate—case cooperation in the areas of corruption, bribery, money laundering, and illicit trade. In conjunction with the ACTWG, it will coordinate with other anti-corruption organizations and activities to facilitate contact, communication, and capacity building among regional anti-corruption partners, and advance pragmatic cooperation in fighting corruption, bribery, money laundering, and illicit trade.

This 2018, the ACTWG had its 26^th and 27^th Plenary Meetings at the meeting clusters held around the first and third Senior Officials Meetings (SOM 1 and SOM 3), respectively, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. In the meetings, chaired by Ms. Roselyn Gwaibo (Papua New Guinea), members reported on progress and developments on the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the Beijing Declaration on Fighting Corruption, and other initiatives related to anti-corruption and transparency. The ACTWG also updated its Terms of Reference, Work Program (2018) and Multi Year Strategic Plan (2013-2021). In this regard, the ACTWG discussed actively how to move its work forward to keep implementing its commitments, strengthening cooperation, and promoting cross-border coordination between APEC Member economies.

Representatives of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and INTERPOL participated in the meetings as guests and shared their activities and initiatives on anti-corruption at the regional and global level with APEC member economies.

The ACT-NET held its 5th meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in August 2018. In the meeting, chaired by Ms Jena Kuliniasi (Papua New Guinea), law enforcement officials and representatives from APEC Member economies shared information on anti-money laundering and asset recovery cases, and domestic working mechanisms on cooperation across borders on bribery related cases. ACT-NET discussed the importance of ensuring intra-government and cross-border cooperation to tackle the challenges faced by APEC economies and to advance greater collaboration among anti-corruption authorities and law enforcement agencies in the Asia-Pacific region.

The next plenary meetings of the ACTWG and ACT-NET will be held in Chile during 2019.

Key Deliverables

Implementing the UN Convention against Corruption

In the APEC Economic Leaders Declaration crafted in Vladivostok, Russia 2012, Leaders encouraged members to fully implement the UN Convention Against Corruption. Brunei Darussalam; Chile; China; Indonesia; the Philippines; New Zealand; and Papua New Guinea, Chinese Taipei; Singapore; Thailand; and Viet Nam shared their reports on developments and progress in implementing the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and other domestic initiatives and legal advances related to Anti-Corruption and transparency. 

Collaboration with Other Multilateral Organizations

Representatives from Transparency International, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCDE), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Inter-American Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, INTERPOL, and the American Bar Association (ABA) shared their reports on recent activities related to transparency and anticorruption and possible opportunities for collaboration with the ACTWG.

The APEC ACT Meeting with International Organizations was held on 21 August 2017, in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.

Handbook on Prosecuting Corruption and Money Laundering Cases

IN 2014, Chile and Thailand presented a handbook called "Designing Best Models on Prosecuting Corruption and Money Laundering Cases Using Financial Flow Tracking Techniques and Investigative Intelligence for Effective Conviction and Asset Recovery to Promote Regional Economic Integration.” This handbook highlights the best tools to deal with investigation and prosecution of complex criminal cases of corruption and money laundering.  

Workshops and Projects in 2017 

• The APEC Pathfinder Dialogue IV “Partnerships for Sustainable Security Strengthening the Fight against Corruption and Illicit Trade” (19–20 August 2017) in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
• The ACT-NET Workshop on ‘Enhancing Cooperation among Law Enforcement Authorities for Asset Recovery’ (August 2017) in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.

Workshops and Events in 2018

• The “APEC Best Fit Practices and Experience Sharing Workshop on Corruption Prevention Mechanisms in APEC Economies” was held on 24 February 2018 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
• The ACT-NET Training Workshop on Asset Recovery was held on 20–22 March 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand.