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Third APEC Ministerial Meeting on
Telecommunications & Information Industry
Singapore
June 3-5, 1998
MINISTERIAL PRESS STATEMENT
1. A Meeting of APEC Ministers responsible for the Telecommunications and Information Industry was convened in Singapore from June 3 to 5, 1998. Delegations from the 18 APEC member economies; namely, Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; the People's Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; the Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; the Republic of the Philippines; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand and the United States of America participated in the Meeting.
2. In addition, representatives from three APEC Members-Designate; Peru, Russia and Vietnam, attended the meeting.
3. Representatives of the APEC Secretariat and Observers from the Pacific Economic Co-operation Council, the South Pacific Forum and ASEAN were also present.
4. The Meeting was opened by His Excellency Mr Goh Chok Tong, Prime Minister of Singapore, and chaired by the Honourable Mah Bow Tan, Minister for Communications, Singapore.
5. Ministers appreciated the recognition by Leaders and Ministers responsible for Trade during their 1997 meetings of the importance of the telecommunications and information sectors and of the need for expanded telecommunications and information infrastructure and services to support sustainable economic and social development throughout in the region.
6. In particular, Ministers welcomed and responded positively to:
a. Leaders' call to conclude a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for Telecommunications Equipment as a model sector for early voluntary sectoral liberalisation;
b. Leaders' recognition of electronic commerce as one of the most important developments of the decade and as a new driver for the rollout of telecommunications and information services;
c. Leaders' recognition of the innovative approach of the APEC Working Group on Telecommunications (TEL) to obtaining input from business/private sector partners; and
d. Leaders' satisfaction with TEL's on-going work to make the Asia Pacific Information Society (APIS) a reality, by strengthening and expanding the Asia-Pacific Information Infrastructure (APII) throughout the region.
7. Ministers shared the Leaders' strong confidence in the Asia-Pacific region and expressed the belief that the region's telecommunications and information sectors would continue to attract investment, grow and develop despite the recent financial crisis in the region.
8. Ministers reviewed actions taken by TEL since their previous meeting at the Gold Coast in 1996, and recognised the considerable progress made by TEL in meeting the Leaders' goals. They welcomed the report of TEL showing that the diverse elements of the work programme set at their last meeting at the Gold Coast had been completed or were well underway. Noting the wide range of activities TEL now has, Ministers welcomed the establishment of a set of criteria for approving projects as a means to encourage broad-ranging, yet focused activity at TEL.
9. Ministers welcomed progress in the development of the APII and saw firsthand its tangible benefits in the form of demonstrations of telemedicine, distance learning and electronic commerce applications held during their Meeting. Ministers reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen and expand their co-operation to support development of the APII in an effective and balanced manner.
10. Ministers recalled the diversity in the level of economic and infrastructure development among member economies and stressed the importance of a strong programme of economic and technical co-operation to ensure that the whole region could participate in the APIS.
11. Ministers recognised the efforts of and the leadership shown by the APEC community in contributing to the recent conclusion of the WTO Agreements on Basic Telecommunications and Information Technology. Ministers affirmed the need to continue to liberalise provision of telecommunications and information infrastructure and services, and for APEC economies to adjust to the realities of a liberalised and globalised telecommunications environment, taking into account the different levels of economic development and diverse circumstances of all APEC member economies.
12. Ministers noted the trend toward multimedia convergence and the rapid pace at which technology was developing. Agreeing that these developments posed new policy and regulatory challenges and opportunities for APEC economies, Ministers urged TEL to address these issues, and to consider in particular, the role it should play in information/content issues.
Business Facilitation
13. Ministers noted that later in the month, APEC Ministers responsible for Trade would meet to develop a comprehensive set of activities to enhance the development and use of electronic commerce in the APEC region. Ministers reaffirmed the importance of electronic commerce as a tool for businesses, governments and consumers and approved a joint action plan for TEL in electronic commerce, which would support the goals of Leaders. Ministers asked that this expanded list of activities be raised and co-ordinated with the work programme being prepared for the Ministers responsible for Trade.
14. Ministers recognised the need to ensure that the whole region shares in the benefits of electronic commerce, that the various infrastructure and service layers develop in a balanced and sustainable manner, and that the needs and interests of Asia-Pacific users are adequately considered.
15. In particular, Ministers stressed the need to ensure that on-line services support the flourishing of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), and to generate wider social, educational, health and community benefits for the APEC community. They welcomed TEL's contribution to this initiative, especially in documenting the issues arising for SMEs doing business over the Internet in the APEC region, and the Electronic Commerce Seminar recently organised in collaboration with PECC.
16. Ministers welcomed the successful completion of the Internet EDI pilot project, which was conducted by the private sector with support from the public sector, and which has resulted in a set of guidelines for implementing Internet-based EDI.
17. Ministers also welcomed the commencement of international interconnection between electronic commerce test beds, which would serve to facilitate the promotion of electronic commerce within the APEC region. Ministers also applauded the INGECEP/CyberNet project, conducted by the private sector with the support from the public sector.
18. Ministers noted the successful completion of the survey on X.400 interoperability and the interconnection of electronic commerce test beds, which would further facilitate the promotion of electronic commerce within the APEC region.
Development Cooperation
19. Ministers emphasised the importance of promoting the realisation and use of the APII, and applauded TEL's achievements in developing various application and services such as distance learning, telemedicine, telecommuting and electronic commerce.
20. Ministers recognised that the various test-bed projects were making a great contribution to the promotion of the APII by linking the networks of participating economies and running experiments and trials. They urged more economies to participate in these projects.
21. Ministers also noted that the Ecotech action programme for the IT industry proposed at a number of APEC fora, such as the APII symposium, would help narrow the gap in telecommunications and information infrastructures among member economies.
22. Ministers applauded the establishment of an APEC TEL Web Site by the APII Co-operation Centre in Korea based on the efforts by Singapore and the USA to develop TEL Website prototypes and reiterated that TEL should continue to be a model user of technology when member economies communicate and disseminate information and experience to one another, such as on interconnection policy, spectrum management and developmental resources.
23. Ministers welcomed the establishment of the APII Technology Centre in Japan and applauded the successful launch of a number of experiments under the APII Test-bed Project. Ministers encouraged more APEC member economies to participate in the project to advance the development of the APII.
24. Ministers noted the view of senior experts involved in the Interactive Medical Curriculum Pilot Project that rapid delivery of medical information is crucial for the efficient delivery of healthcare and education, especially in remote regions. They agreed that electronic resources are most likely to provide this cost effectively. Ministers welcomed the work done to date on this project and appreciated the co-operation and support of the APT.
25. Ministers recognised the synergy between liberalisation and development co-operation initiatives in the TEL, illustrated recently by TEL's work on advancing universal access to telecommunications services.
Human Resource Development
26. Ministers welcomed the progress of various Human Resource Development (HRD) initiatives, including:
a. training initiatives to support TEL activities such as implementing the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on Conformity Assessment for Telecommunications Equipment, managing a liberalised telecommunications environment, developing fair interconnection and access arrangements, and accelerating the roll-out of on-line services; and
b. the development of telecommunications training courses using Web-based methods of instruction.
27. Ministers noted that the establishment of a HRD database for the telecommunications and information sector to share relevant information was conducive to the HRD projects within the region.
28. Ministers urged TEL to continue its efforts to enhance member economies' knowledge and experience through personnel exchanges, skills standards, practical training and distance learning to ensure the availability of an adequate corps of capable personnel to operate and use the information networks of the region.
29. Ministers supported the development by the International Telecommunication Union of a dedicated Centre of Excellence for human resource development in the Asia-Pacific region and instructed TEL to establish links, including virtual links, with the Asia-Pacific Centre of Excellence when it is set up, and with other training programmes and institutions so as to establish co-ordinated and sustained training programmes for the region.
Liberalisation
30. Ministers applauded the timely work done by the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) Task Force and endorsed an APEC MRA on Conformity Assessment for Telecommunications Equipment. Ministers saw the MRA as instrumental in TEL's efforts to lower technical barriers to trade and encouraged the Task Force to continue its work to encourage implementation of the MRA by member economies.
31. Ministers endorsed the establishment of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Implementation Task Group within TEL to assist member economies, where appropriate, to implement the pro-competitive principles laid out in the 1997 Agreement on Basic Telecommunications. Ministers reiterated their support for the prompt accession to the WTO of applicants in accordance with WTO protocol and based on effective market access commitments, with a view to achieving universality of WTO membership.
32. Ministers affirmed the importance of the study, "Effective Interconnection in the APEC Region", and encouraged further work by TEL to develop guidelines on interconnection policy and to assist member economies in developing and implementing pro-competitive interconnection principles.
33. Ministers welcomed the report on indicators to measure the benefits of liberalisation to users which would facilitate member economies to measure concrete outcomes of liberalisation in their telecommunications markets.
Ministers - Industry Leaders' Dialogue
34. Ministers also recognised the importance of continuing dialogue with the industry/private sector leaders, and appreciated the frank exchange of views during the Ministers-Industry Leaders' Dialogue Session, which was organised by PECC. Ministers agreed that such dialogue would enhance greater partnership between the public and private sectors.
35. At the Dialogue, Ministers were encouraged by industry's commitment to the APEC process. Ministers and industry agreed that each had a role to play in facilitating the creation of the APIS. Ministers noted industry's call for greater acceleration of liberalisation efforts, greater transparency of regulation, facilitation of access and interconnection agreements, and addressing the privacy, security, authentication and bandwidth pricing issues impeding network utilisation.
36. Likewise, industry recognised its role in enhancing human resources development in the region and its leadership in developing the market for digital communications and commerce.
The Way Ahead
37. Ministers considered TEL's future work scope and agreed that the key challenge facing the APEC region is how to manage the transition to knowledge-based societies. Ministers believed that TEL could draw upon its key strengths; namely, its commitment to technological innovation, trade and investment liberalisation, its strong partnership with the business/private sector and its long-standing work in enhancing training and skills development in the Asia Pacific region. Ministers believed that TEL would have to forge strong partnerships with other relevant organisations, entities and APEC fora to fully exploit these strengths. Ministers also recognised the importance of a balanced work agenda for TEL which respects the diversity of the region.
38. Ministers reaffirmed that TEL should remain focused and streamline its activities. Ministers were of the view that TEL should not take on activities that were not within its objectives and goals and urged TEL to formulate priorities in the work programme it undertakes.
39. Noting that technology was a powerful enabler of development and economic growth, Ministers encouraged TEL to further its efforts to harness emerging technology in ways that were relevant and useful to member economies' needs.
40. Ministers recognised that MRA and WTO Implementation activities, such as interconnection arrangements in a pro-competitive environment, were concrete ways in which TEL could assist member economies to face the new global market. Ministers also recognised that flexibility should be shown and greater attention paid to the special needs of developing economies, especially during this period of economic difficulty.
41. Following from the Dialogue organised by PECC, Ministers believed that it would become increasingly important for TEL to engage the business/private sector in technical co-operation, human resource development and policy setting. Ministers welcomed industry's interest in working with the public sector in facilitating the emerging APIS by investing in member economies and providing human resource development training.
42. Ministers recognised that convergence has created tremendous challenges to existing human resource capabilities. Ministers reiterated their call for constant skills upgrading, particularly for developing economies, to assist their human resource development.
43. As a result of convergence, Ministers saw an increasing need for TEL to work more closely with other relevant entities when addressing new issues of the "cyber society". Consistent with the APEC vision, Ministers called for greater co-ordination and co-operation between TEL and other APEC fora as well as other international organisations to avoid duplication.
44. Ministers believed that individual economies' efforts to construct their own information infrastructures should include an important international dimension. They urged member economies to take proactive steps to facilitate the interconnectivity and interoperability of these infrastructures so as to fuel the larger APEC goal of the APIS.
45. With that, Ministers adopted the Singapore Declaration containing a Programme for Action to guide further APEC activities in the telecommunications and information sectors. The Singapore Declaration will provide sectoral input to the meeting of APEC Economic Leaders to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 17-18 November 1998.
46. Ministers agreed to hold a fourth Ministerial Meeting on the Telecommunications and Information Industry to review progress in TEL's activities and to continue their valuable policy discussions in the year 2000. Ministers welcomed the offer by Mexico to host the Fourth APEC Ministerial Meeting on Telecommunications and Information Industry.
We, the APEC Ministers responsible for the Telecommunications and Information Industry, gathered at Singapore from 3-5 June 1998,
reaffirming the APEC Economic Leaders’ Declaration at Vancouver, 1997, which recognised that despite the recent economic crisis in the Asia-Pacific region, the prospects for long term growth and prosperity in the region remain strong;
reaffirming also our strong confidence in the Asia-Pacific region’s telecommunications and information industry, and in the continued need for growth, liberalisation and investment in these sectors in the years ahead;
responding to those parts of the Vancouver Declaration in which Leaders:
a. underlined APEC’s resolve to achieve sustainable growth and equitable development and to unlock the full potential of the people who live here,
b. recognised the importance of telecommunications and information technology in building an Asia Pacific Information Society (APIS),
c. agreed that the Asia Pacific Information Infrastructure (APII) is an essential basis for ensuring the competitiveness of the region in the 21st century, and
d. agreed that electronic commerce is one of the most important technological breakthroughs of this decade;
recalling the Subic Declaration, 1996 in which APEC Leaders:
a. emphasised the importance of economic and technical cooperation in ensuring that liberalised trade contributed to sustainable growth and equitable development and to a reduction in economic disparities;
b. endorsed the Manila Action Plan for APEC (MAPA) which contained the first steps of an evolutionary process of progressive and comprehensive trade and investment liberalisation, including telecommunications services, by 2010/2020;
c. affirmed the urgency for the completion of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations in basic telecommunications services; and
d. noted that the public and private sectors should work closely together to stimulate investment in infrastructure, to achieve sustained growth;
renewing our commitment to accelerate efforts to bring the APII from vision to reality by implementing a broad range of practical projects and applications and by harmonising policy measures to advance the development of the APIS, which in turn, will contribute to creating the evolving Global Information Society (GIS);
recognising that over the past few years, the global telecommunications and information environment has been increasingly characterised by the convergence of telecommunications, broadcasting and computing networks and technologies;
believing that whilst technological convergence poses new policy, regulatory and business challenges to the APEC community, they also represent opportunities to achieve growth, access and connectivity and to lessen the development gap faster and more efficiently;
mindful that the diversity in levels of telecommunications and information development among member economies requires that greater attention be paid to the special challenges developing economies face in sharing fully in the APIS vision;
reiterating that economic and technical cooperation remain key priorities for the APEC Telecommunications Working Group (TEL), particularly in the area of developing and training our rich human talent to achieve its full potential within the APIS;
applauding the efforts of the APEC community in contributing to the recent conclusion of the WTO Agreements on Basic Telecommunications and Information Technology, two landmark pacts which will facilitate the APEC goal of trade and investment liberalisation, accelerate the development of telecommunications and information infrastructures, dismantle technical barriers to trade, reinforce the globalisation of service provision, and facilitate access to a broader range and better quality of telecommunications and information services at more competitive prices;
commending the wisdom and value of APEC’s traditions of multilateralism and voluntariness, particularly in addressing common technical, policy and regulatory issues which technological advancement and increased market liberalisation pose;
reinforcing the complementary roles which governments and the business/private sector can play in TEL’s work programme, in particular by harnessing the business/private sector’s access to technology, capital and expertise and the public sector’s ability to set appropriate policies and regulations to facilitate business and promote universal access and sustained investment in infrastructure development;
highlighting the importance of continuing co-operative activities in research and development, and enlarging the scope of cooperation among researchers from industry, government and academia of member economies, in order to explore and implement cutting-edge infrastructure, applications and services;
having reviewed the activities undertaken by TEL to implement
a. the various directions of our Leaders to further develop the APEC telecommunications and information industry, and
b. the Action Plan endorsed at TELMIN2 at the Gold Coast in September 1996.
DO HEREBY ADOPT the following Programme for Action:
1. Ministers note that this Programme for Action for the telecommunications and information sector will contribute to the Action Plan to be considered at the APEC Economic Leaders’ meeting to be held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 17-18 November 1998.
2. Ministers affirm that the four pillars of TEL’s work programme; namely, business facilitation, development cooperation, human resource development and liberalisation, remain valid and important parts of TEL’s work mandate to realise the APIS vision and to support APEC’s goals of trade and investment liberalisation and economic and technical cooperation.
3. Ministers recognise the considerable impact that rapid technological development and convergence will have on APEC economies. Ministers urge TEL to consider the scope of its activities within the context of these phenomena, so that TEL’s objectives and goals remain relevant in the new global telecommunications and information environment.
4. Ministers note that the dynamism of the telecommunications and information environment and changing expectations by member economies will require TEL to become ever more focused on its objectives and effective in its work. Ministers welcome TEL’s adoption of criteria to assist in evaluating project proposals, and urge TEL to be responsive to the need to formulate strategic priorities as its work programme expands.
5. Noting the continuing development gap that exists within APEC, Ministers direct TEL to pay particular attention to the need, highlighted recently by Leaders and Ministers responsible for Trade, to facilitate greater economic and technical cooperation activities to bridge this gap and help member economies regain their economic strength.
6. Ministers support the increased role which the business/private sector has come to play in TEL, and encourage TEL to continue to work co-operatively with ABAC, PECC and other representatives of the business/private sector with the aim of ensuring long-term sustained investment in infrastructure needs of the region and a flourishing telecommunications and information industry.
7. Ministers recognise the direction given by the Leaders in November 1997 that an APEC Electronic Commerce workplan be developed by November 1998. Noting the work of the APEC Electronic Commerce Task Force in developing this workplan for APEC, Ministers direct TEL to support the work of the Task Force.
Business Facilitation
8. Ministers note with appreciation the long-standing work of TEL to facilitate and encourage governments, companies and individuals to conduct transactions electronically via the growing telecommunications and information infrastructure. Ministers further note TEL’s encouragement of the business/private sector to initiate and participate in the planning and deployment of services and infrastructure capacity. This is in line with the Leaders’ recognition of the private sector’s primacy in the development and use of electronic commerce in the region, which is key to economic growth in the next century.
9. Ministers direct TEL to continue its work to promote the use of emerging applications and the development of electronic commerce products and services. Ministers emphasise their belief that APEC has a unique opportunity to promote electronic commerce for businesses and consumers through:
a. efforts to harmonise the region’s electronic commerce policies, legal and regulatory practices;
b. facilitating the electronic delivery of government services, where appropriate; and
c. enhancing the development of electronic commerce infrastructure as well as services and applications relevant to Asia-Pacific users.
10. Ministers endorse the priority accorded by TEL to business integration and business-to-business systems in its work on EDI and Internet-based electronic commerce, as this supports efforts to strengthen regional economies and to liberalise trade and investment in the region.
11. Ministers welcome work already done to make known the policy issues for small business enterprises conducting business electronically in the APEC region. Ministers direct TEL to consider further areas for practical work to support the use of electronic commerce by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), such as:
a. conducting surveys to measure their usage and uptake of these technologies and services;
b. conducting a study of the cost to SMEs of the telecommunications and information infrastructure and services that underpin electronic commerce in the region; and
c. the study and, if and when appropriate, development, by the next APEC Ministerial Meeting on Telecommunications and Information Industry, of compatible and sustainable international charging arrangements for Internet services as electronic transactions become increasingly conducted over the Internet.
12. In undertaking a coordinated work plan on electronic commerce, Ministers emphasise the need to be mindful of the work of other APEC fora as well as of other international organisations in order to:
a. avoid duplication of efforts;
b. enhance collaboration and linkages with other fora, where possible, to take advantage of mutually beneficial activities; and
c. ensure that the unique perspectives and needs of APEC economies are considered and met.
13. Ministers note the need to promote pervasive consumer access to and use of electronic government and business services. Ministers welcome the increasing work of TEL in supporting consumer involvement in electronic commerce issues and instruct TEL to consider in its work:
a. consumer use of electronic commerce in the APEC region to conduct their day-to-day transactions such as, obtaining information, paying bills, transacting with government or municipal authorities and purchasing products and services; and
b. the identification of key issues that will affect consumer confidence and ability to use electronic commerce within the APEC region, in particular, issues of access, affordability, privacy and security.
14. In addition to its continued focus on the above, Ministers direct the four Steering Groups of TEL to undertake an expanded work programme to promote electronic commerce consistent with the reference framework document at Annex A and the decisions flowing from the APEC Task Force on Electronic Commerce.
Development Cooperation
15. Recognising our Leaders’ decision to make the APII a priority for infrastructure development in APEC, Ministers reaffirm the critical importance of development co-operation activities to realise the concrete benefits of the APII. Ministers recognise that the APII underpins APEC’s overall economic infrastructure and is a vital prerequisite for the development of the APIS. Ministers call on TEL to continue its work to further the development of the APII.
16. Ministers note with appreciation and encourage TEL’s efforts to make the transition from vision to reality when developing the APII, as seen in the demonstrations on telemedicine, distance learning and electronic commerce applications, which Ministers witnessed this week.
17. Ministers encourage TEL to build on the practical work being done by the APII Cooperation Centre in Korea and the APII Technology Centre in Japan to further accelerate the development of the APII.
18. Ministers welcome the work done to promote business/private sector participation in telecommunications and information infrastructure development and encourage members to support it with practical implementation measures. Ministers direct TEL to expand collaboration with the business/private sector to support the development of the APIS, consistent with the priorities of member economies.
19. Ministers instruct TEL to undertake a systematic developmental needs assessment, so as to set strategic priorities for further economic and technical cooperation activities. Ministers further direct TEL to identify and develop applications and projects, which will be of particular benefit to developing economies with rural and under-served areas.
20. Ministers applaud the efforts of member economies to develop their broadband information infrastructures and encourage the efforts of TEL to interconnect these networks and test-beds, beginning with linkages between public institutions such as schools, universities, hospitals and libraries, so as to ensure that the benefits of the APII are experienced by citizens of the region.
21. Ministers direct TEL to encourage technical cooperation, collaborative research and development and voluntary technology transfer among member economies through the mechanism of joint APII research and development projects.
22. Ministers encourage member economies to enhance access to the APII, particularly in Internet infrastructure, by expanding high-bandwidth connectivity among economies. In this regard, Ministers request TEL to study how to create sustainable and equitable financing arrangements for the establishment of these links.
23. Ministers welcome TEL’s project on universal access to expand the reach of basic telecommunications services as a first step to achieving the APIS, noting the broad economic and social benefits of universal access and the corresponding costs of limited access. Ministers encourage economies to refer to the “Universal Access Principles” found in Annex B when developing policies in this regard.
Human Resources Development
24. Ministers recognise that the development of, and investment in, the region’s human resources are essential to the achievement of their goal of balanced development of the APIS. Ministers note that TEL’s human resource development programmes must respond to the diverse needs of member economies.
25. Ministers welcome the determination of TEL to ensure that its human resource development activities support the priority objectives of TEL. Key among these in the next period will be human resource development activities to support:
a. expanded access to telecommunications services;
b. the implementation of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA);
c. development of regulatory regimes that promote competition, including management of interconnection arrangements; and
d. linkages with telecommunications training organisations in the region.
26. Ministers direct TEL to continue to expand its work to provide the HRD support required for the development of the APII. Ministers further direct TEL to work with other training and development fora to ensure that economies are able to make use of the knowledge and techniques developed through the projects and studies carried out by these other fora.
27. Ministers recognise the importance of improving proficiency in the usage of available technologies and direct TEL to expand HRD activities to include training in the relevant skills to achieve the APII such as:
a. broadband networking;
b. multimedia technologies;
c. Internet applications; and
d. content production tools.
28. Ministers urge TEL to build on economies’ knowledge and experience through personnel exchanges, skills standards, practical training and distance learning to ensure the availability of an adequate corps of capable personnel to operate and use the telecommunications and information networks of the region.
29. Ministers further recognise the potential of the APII to deliver training tools to benefit APEC in general and direct TEL to work collaboratively with other working groups in APEC to explore how the APII can be utilised to address and support the training programmes of APEC as a whole. Ministers direct TEL to provide focused attention to the following areas:
a. expanding training initiatives to help member economies to meet the demands of a liberalised telecommunications environment by acquiring skills for the knowledge economy;
b. developing distance learning systems using advanced technology, such as multimedia; and
c. building a HRD database to assist economies in developing HRD programs.
30. Ministers support the development by the International Telecommunication Union of a dedicated Centre of Excellence to develop, strengthen and focus human resource development activities in the Asia-Pacific region. Ministers instruct TEL to establish links, including virtual links, with the Asia-Pacific Centre of Excellence to be established and to work with the ITU and with other international fora, to establish coordinated and sustained training programmes in the region.
Liberalisation
31. Ministers recognise that telecommunications trade and investment liberalisation is fundamental to the attainment of the APEC Leaders’ vision of free trade and investment by 2010/2020. Ministers commend TEL for the work it has done to assist member economies to adjust to the reality of global market liberalisation in the telecommunications and information sector and call upon TEL to continue to work to promote liberalisation to support expanded access to telecommunications and information infrastructure and services.
32. Recognising the need for policy and regulatory reform in this new environment, Ministers request TEL to explore collegial approaches to the regulatory and policy challenges presented by convergence and market liberalisation, as well as to support the work of other international fora in this regard.
33. Ministers direct TEL to assist member economies to implement the WTO Agreement on Basic Telecommunications. Ministers note that APEC member economies are in various stages of liberalising their telecommunications markets, and that there is diversity in the form and manner of these liberalisation activities.
34. Ministers note that the WTO Reference Paper on Regulatory Principles (“Reference Paper”) could serve to establish a common understanding among economies on how an effective regulatory environment conducive to competition could be created, thereby assisting member economies in their transition to the new multilateral trade regime. Ministers also recall the Reference List of Elements of a Fully Liberalised Telecommunications Services Sector, which they recognised at their 1996 meeting to contain a good general description of what free and open trade and investment means in the telecommunications sector. Ministers note that both these documents could assist member economies to develop appropriate policy and regulatory approaches in a liberalised environment. To this end, Ministers direct TEL to promote:
a. improved understanding and implementation of the Reference Paper principles on:
i. competitive safeguards to prevent abuse of market power by a major supplier;b. the exchange of information among economies’ on their practical experiences in activities such as the corporatisation or privatisation of telecommunications operators;
ii. transparent, non-discriminatory interconnection at cost-oriented rates;
iii. public availability of licensing criteria;
iv. universal service;
v. establishment of an independent regulator; and
vi. allocation and use of scarce resources.
c. the development of a stable and effective telecommunications environment by:
i. encouraging effective and timely implementation of basic telecommunications services commitments of APEC WTO member economies;
ii. assisting non-WTO APEC member economies in working toward the establishment of policies consistent with principles of the WTO Agreement on Basic Telecommunications;
iv. supporting the prompt accession to the WTO of non-WTO members in accordance with WTO protocol and based on effective market access commitments, with a view to achieving universality of WTO membership; and
v. playing a leading role in the development of next round of multilateral trade negotiations on telecommunications and information technology.
35. Ministers recognise that the post-WTO environment will usher in new international settlement rates arrangements. Ministers reiterate their firm support for activities now being undertaken by other international fora to achieve a comprehensive and balanced multilateral programme of reform. Ministers recognise that such a programme of reform must demonstrate a concrete commitment to action, but must also be flexible enough to accommodate differing levels of telecommunications development.
36. Ministers call upon TEL to continue work on measuring the benefits of liberalisation to users, and encourage economies to use, where appropriate, the “Indicators to Measure the Benefits of Liberalisation” developed by TEL.
37. Ministers recognise that it is crucial to establish fair and transparent interconnection and access arrangements to support competitive service provision. They endorse TEL’s efforts to develop guidelines on interconnection policy. Ministers also direct TEL to improve upon economies’ understanding and implementation of interconnection issues by:
a. creating a flexible, non-prescriptive framework containing the necessary principles to formulate interconnection arrangements in a manner that promotes fair and effective competition in the market and delivers benefits to users;
b. discussing appropriate and credible types of information needed as a basis for formulating interconnection arrangements;
c. identifying best practices for interconnection arrangements, including price benchmarks and time frames for negotiation; and
d. increasing knowledge in APEC on how to develop and implement interconnection principles that promote fair and effective competition in the market.
38. Ministers endorse the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on Conformity Assessment for Telecommunications Equipment in the form shown in Annex C and direct TEL to take the following measures to support the MRA and encourage its implementation on a voluntary basis and in a timely manner, in order to ensure that all economies benefit as fully as possible from it:
a. An implementation project to provide practical advice to each economy to facilitate MRA participation which would:
b. Development of best practice principles for technical regulation, to assist economies that are reconsidering their technical regulations to support the introduction of competition in the provision of telecommunications services.i. identify general tasks and issues that could arise for economies when implementing the MRA;
ii. conduct research on the technical regulatory practices for telecommunications equipment among APEC economies in need of assistance in implementing the MRA to identify existing and potential legal, administrative and technical barriers to the implementation of the MRA; and
iii. develop a comprehensive plan and schedule for addressing identified general and specific tasks that are necessary to the implementation of the MRA.
39. Ministers recognise that an essential precondition for the success of the MRA is to boost member economies’ mutual confidence in the competence of conformity assessment bodies across APEC to test or assess conformity to an importing economy’s requirements. To that end, Ministers direct TEL to implement appropriate confidence-building activities, such as:
a. organising courses, seminars, personnel exchanges, inter-economy comparisons and joint audits to develop a greater familiarity with others' requirements and a greater commonality of approach; and
b. encouraging member economies to institute systems of accreditation for Conformity Assessment Bodies, using guides such as ISO/IEC guides or recommendations issued by international bodies.
40. Ministers request each APEC member economy to voluntarily report on the implementation status of relevant items of the TEL Collective Action Plan (CAP).
Enhanced Cooperation between the Public and Private Sectors
41. Ministers note the recent adoption of the Vancouver Framework for Enhanced Public-Private Partnerships in Infrastructure Development by Leaders, which commits to enhancing the partnerships between the public and private sectors to develop the infrastructure needs of member economies.
42. In response to the Leaders’ call and recognising the important role of the business/private sector in the development of the telecommunications and information industry, Ministers applaud the inaugural Minister-Industry Dialogue held during the 3rd APEC Ministerial Meeting on the Telecommunications and Information Industry in Singapore.
43. Ministers appreciate the perspectives and ideas offered by industry leaders and commend the wide range of interests represented at the Dialogue, including the user community, SMEs, trade associations, product manufacturers, Internet associations, the multimedia industry and telecommunications operators. Ministers recognise that these exchanges will help forge a greater partnership between the public and private sectors and urge TEL to take into consideration in its work programme the following points raised by the business/private sector:
a. Industry is committed to remaining engaged in the APEC process that demonstrate the commonality of concerns and objectives between public and private sector in the region to achieve the potential of the APIS;
b. Governments, businesspersons and users must learn from and with each other if they are to achieve the benefits to be had from the rapidly evolving telecommunications and information marketplace;
c. Governments should continue to accelerate efforts to liberalise markets, ensuring greater transparency of regulation, facilitate access and interconnection agreements, and address the privacy, security, authentication, and bandwidth pricing issues impeding network utilisation;
d. Governments and industry should work to facilitate accessible, affordable, and reliable mediums for voice, data and video information exchange and communications for users and providers of network services;
e. TEL, in conjunction with the industry, should address efforts to accelerate human resources development if the promise of the APIS is to be achieved;
f. Both government and industry recognise the importance of utilising the Internet for service delivery and electronic business purposes;
g. Industry recognises its lead role in developing the market for digital communications and commerce, and welcomes the Ministers’ commitment to develop an environment conducive to the growth of electronic commerce in the region such as: having the government “lead by example” in its use of the Internet, assisting in the development of technologically skilled work forces and IT-literate consumers and involving in efforts to develop trust and consumer confidence in the Internet;
h. Industry and governments should work together to implement the MRA so as to expedite trade in the region; and
i. Governments to accelerate their work to develop and implement universal access principle and the interconnection framework.
The Way Ahead for TEL
44. Ministers agree that a key challenge facing APEC economies is how to make the transition to knowledge-based societies. The advent of the APIS will create vast opportunities for growth and development but it will also require that our citizens acquire a new set of skills and competencies to live and do business.
45. In contributing to the creation of the APIS, Ministers believe that TEL can draw upon its key strengths; namely, its commitment to technological innovation, trade and investment liberalisation, its strong partnership with the business/private sector and its long-standing work in enhancing training and skills development in the Asia-Pacific region. Ministers recognise the importance of the pilot projects as a good working method to facilitate the achievement of this goal. Ministers recognise that there needs to be a balanced work agenda so that it respects the diversity of the region. Ministers also believe that TEL will have to forge strong partnerships with other relevant organisations, entities and APEC fora to fully exploit these strengths.
TEL’s Priorities
46. Ministers reaffirm that TEL should remain focused and streamline its activities. Ministers are of the view that TEL should not take on activities that are not within its objectives and goals. Ministers urge TEL to formulate priorities and be disciplined in the work programme it undertakes.
Electronic Commerce
47. Having already recognised electronic commerce as an engine for economic growth, Ministers encourage TEL to consider a forward-looking work agenda on e-commerce as a way to spur member economies in a timely way.
Technological Innovation
48. Noting that technology was a powerful enabler of development and economic growth, particularly in a region as diverse as ours, Ministers encourage TEL to further its efforts to harness emerging technology in ways that are relevant and useful to member economies’ needs. Ministers recognise the potential for telecommunications and information technologies to vastly reduce costs, improve efficiency and create jobs. Ministers encourage the broadening of participation by member economies in the APII experiments and pilot projects so that the APIS’ potential benefits are mutually shared.
Trade and Investment Liberalisation
49. Ministers recognise that the region’s recent economic crisis will pose significant challenges. However, Ministers fully expect that APEC economies will overcome these challenges soon and will emerge stronger and more confident as a result of their continued commitment to and implementation of liberalisation action plans. Ministers recognise that the MRA and the WTO Implementation activities, such as interconnection in a pro-competitive environment, will become crucial ways in which TEL can assist member economies in concrete ways to face the new global market. Ministers also recognise that flexibility and greater attention must be paid to the special needs of developing economies, especially during this period of economic difficulty.
Public-Private Sector Partnership
50. Ministers also believe that it will become increasingly important for TEL to engage the business/private sector in technical co-operation, human resource development and policy setting. Ministers welcome the industry’s interests in working with the public sector in facilitating the implementation of the MRA and encouraging the growth of the electronic commerce. Ministers believe that the business/private sector should likewise share responsibility for developing and shaping the emerging APIS by investing in member economies and providing human resource development training.
Training and Skills Development for the Information Age
51. Ministers recognise that convergence has created tremendous challenges to existing human resource capabilities. Ministers stress the need to implement creative work programmes to create a dynamic, innovative and entrepreneurial workforce crucial to a resilient and culturally vibrant regional economy and see the linkage with the ITU Centre of Excellence as helping fulfill this goal. Ministers reiterate their call for constant skills upgrading for developing economies to assist their human resource development.
Closer Coordination with Others
52. Ministers see that as a result of convergence, there will be increasing need for TEL to work more closely with other relevant entities when addressing new issues of the “cyber society”. These issues would involve both infrastructure and content. Consistent with the APEC vision, Ministers call for greater coordination and cooperation between TEL and other APEC fora to avoid duplication, and note that the APEC Secretariat will continue to play an important role in this process. Ministers would welcome the inclusion of these other APEC fora in TEL meetings where appropriate, and call upon these other fora to likewise include TEL in their work. Ministers also encourage coordination with other international fora on matters where TEL can provide a useful regional perspective.
Connecting the Region
53. Ministers believe that individual economies’ efforts to construct their own information infrastructures should include an important international dimension. They urge member economies to take proactive steps to facilitate the interconnectivity and interoperability of these infrastructures so as to fuel the larger APEC goal of the APIS.
Annex A
A REFERENCE FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE
1. The APEC Telecommunications Working Group (TEL) is a singularly important focus of electronic commerce activity in APEC. TEL has a key role in contributing to the development of a coordinated APEC-wide work plan for electronic commerce by the APEC Electronic Commerce Task Force for approval by the Leaders in November. Part of this contribution will be TEL’s new reference framework for action on electronic commerce.
2. The new reference framework will:
a. promote electronic commerce for use by businesses and by consumers;
b. contribute to the harmonisation of the region’s electronic commerce policies, its legal and regulatory practices;
c. enhance the development of electronic commerce infrastructure as well as services and applications relevant to the needs of users in the region; and
d. facilitate the electronic delivery of government services.
TEL’s reference framework will encourage other APEC fora to adopt similar electronic commerce action frameworks. Implementing these frameworks will help bring to fruition APEC’s electronic commerce work plan. This document sets forth the rationale and a suggested framework for further work on electronic commerce by TEL.
3. Subsequent to the Leaders call for action on electronic commerce promotion, TEL worked with PECC to create a forum for government-industry discussion over priorities and objectives for APEC in this area. This endeavour has brought industry in as a full partner in the new TEL work programme on e-commerce — a work programme that had its genesis in a 1990 project on EDI development in the region.
A Global Focus
4. TEL’s reference framework will help position APEC to play a lead role in the global expansion of electronic commerce initiatives. Such initiatives are recognised as a principal component of economic growth in the next century and also will position the member economies of APEC to bridge the development gap that continues in the region and to regain their economic strength.
5. Accordingly, in developing an action plan under the reference framework, TEL will collaborate with the APEC Task Force, where possible, and with other international organisations so as to share mutually in the benefits and to avoid duplication. In its plan, TEL will endeavour to ensure that the specific needs of APEC economies are met. Work also will be undertaken in close cooperation with other APEC fora, other organisations in the region, and between APEC member economies on a bilateral basis to ensure coordination in the Asia-Pacific region.
6. While involvement of the private sector has always been a hallmark of TEL’s activities, it is realised that the electronic commerce programme of TEL requires an expanded network of advisors from the communications and information industries. TEL is committed to working with PECC and other relevant organisations to develop this network and subsequent joint efforts for the promotion of electronic commerce.
The Challenges
7. TEL recognises that electronic commerce will be a key driver of business development and expansion and new trading mechanisms in the region. Business expansion will be based largely on business integration as well as on the provision of consumer products and services by electronic means.
8. Nevertheless, TEL has noted that there are challenges presented by the roll-out of electronic commerce. These challenges include the need to ensure that the telecommunications and information infrastructure continues to develop in a manner that supports electronic commerce, and the need to promote a stronger role throughout APEC for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
9. In addition, measures must be taken to develop electronic commerce for the benefit of the whole region and to ensure that economies that rely on existing telecommunications and information systems are supported in the transition to electronic commerce.
Impediments to Electronic Commerce
10. The efforts of TEL will address many of the impediments to electronic commerce that exist in the region. The most fundamental obstacle to electronic commerce is inability to access and use the network infrastructure. Access and use are functions of:
a. network capacity at local, country and international levels;
b. cost of network access and use;
c. availability and cost of access devices (telephones, personal computers); and
d. availability of technical skills to facilitate access.
11. These issues lie at the core of TEL’s mandate, and TEL has actively pursued relevant liberalisation, human resource development and economic and technical cooperation activities to meet each of these challenges.
12. Further impediments are barriers to market entry and competition in member economies, such as laws and regulations restricting particular industry sectors. Other impediments include economic disincentives to investment such as those caused by the fear of the impacts of systems failure, the absence of suitable business models, the “immature” state of the electronic marketplace, inadequate intellectual property protection, and the need to facilitate business and consumer confidence and trust. While the range of electronic commerce issues exceeds the mandate of TEL, its framework for action focuses on a variety of issues including those of trade liberalisation, business facilitation, the need for development and cooperation among member economies’ and human resources development.
Promoting Business-to-Business Electronic Commerce
13. It is anticipated that business integration activity over the next five years may account for up to ninety percent of the expansion of electronic commerce on basic, advanced and value-added networks. The Internet and other public networks also will play an increasingly important role as security and data protection are enhanced. Improved security and data protection will contribute to the confidence of SMEs in electronic commerce.
14. Business-to-business communications have been the focus of past activity of TEL. This remains a priority, with the particular emphasis on promoting SME involvement in e-commerce. Business-to-business communications is the basis for strengthening regional economies, ensuring broad-based access to networked infrastructure and for liberalising trade and attracting investment. Accordingly, TEL’s reference framework builds on work that already has been carried out or has been initiated recently to identify the issues for SMEs doing business over the Internet in the Asia-Pacific region. Further work will review the integration of SMEs into electronic commerce by measuring their usage and uptake, studying the cost to SMEs of the telecommunications and information infrastructure and services that underpin electronic commerce in the region and determining how SMEs can play a stronger role throughout APEC. TEL will promote a test-bed programme between interested SMEs in APEC economies to design, manufacture and market appropriate products.
Promoting Business-to-Consumer Electronic Commerce
15. Consumer transactions will expand from current levels and contribute to the growth of electronic commerce in the region, but expansion is not expected to occur at the same rate as business-to-business transactions. Consumer involvement will rely most directly on access to Internet connectivity and on standard telecommunication services linked to private networks. Increased consumer confidence in the reliability of networks, the security of networks and the protection of personal information, and affordability to Internet access to consumers are key to increasing their purchase of goods and services by electronic means in the region.
16. There also will be consumer and social involvement, in addition to the transactional activity noted above. It will focus on access to electronic services provided by both government and business. Governments, as model users, will spur the development of information, health, education, and community services. The provision of consumer services such as entertainment, financial, media, retailing, recreational support and travel will contribute to enhanced levels of consumer participation and overall levels of awareness and confidence. Economies of scale will unfold as networks and information services expand to serve both business and community needs.
A TEL Electronic Commerce Reference Framework for Action
17. The following reference framework is established to guide the development of a focused TEL work programme through each of its Steering Groups to promote electronic commerce in the Asia-Pacific region. The categories of actions that might be taken have been established in response to the need to access electronic commerce, raise awareness about the benefits, build confidence and trust, and to develop compatible approaches to the digital marketplace.
a. Improving Access
o promoting cooperation between the public-business/private sectors to expand and enhance access to robust, interconnected telecommunications and information services, so as to enable all citizens and businesses to take advantage of electronic commerce;b. Raising Awareness
o encouraging competition among providers of telecommunications and Internet capacity, leading to more affordable and higher quality services; and
o discouraging market access restrictions or regulatory barriers that inhibit telecommunications and Internet service providers from entering the market and/or providing access to end users.
o developing and sharing a knowledge base on the economic and social benefits of electronic commerce on the Asia-Pacific region;c. Building Confidence and Trust
o continuing its programme of activities, technology trials and pilot projects to demonstrate the practical benefits of electronic commerce;
o promoting awareness of the benefits of electronic commerce and encouraging its use among SMEs in all member economies; and
o encouraging governments and other public sector organisations to act as model users to promote electronic commerce.
o building an understanding of business and consumer confidence in digital transactions and developing appropriate strategies to respond to identified needs across the region;
o reviewing and contributing to international approaches for protecting the privacy of personal data; and
o verifying the feasibility of digital transactions and authentication through electronic commerce test-bed pilot projects.
d. Developing compatible approaches to the electronic marketplace
o reviewing different approaches to authentication, which could include electronic signatures and electronic records among economies;
o using the results of the surveys of legal and regulatory barriers to electronic commerce in the region, identify the essential elements of a legal and regulatory framework for electronic commerce;
o encouraging all APEC member economies to remove existing and avoid the introduction of new legal, regulatory and other barriers to conducting electronic commerce in the region to the greatest extent possible and as soon as practicable; and
o promoting the use of best practices on electronic commerce, e.g., the development of self-regulation measures by industry.
Further Support to the APEC Task Force on Electronic Commerce and Collaboration with Other Relevant Fora
18. In many cases, the priorities proposed in TEL’s reference framework for action are already being addressed by the four Steering Groups within TEL. Such electronic commerce activities influence and support the development of an APEC-wide workplan for electronic commerce by the APEC Task Force. Any new project activity in support of TEL’s framework for action that is identified at the next meeting of TEL in September in Papua New Guinea will be made available to the Chair of the APEC Task Force on Electronic Commerce.
19. The Task Force and other APEC Working Groups and Committees were represented at the APEC-PECC Electronic Commerce Seminar held in conjunction with the TEL meeting in Brunei in March 1998. Continued collaboration with relevant APEC fora such as the APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures, Expert Group on Intellectual Property Rights, Policy Level Group on SMEs, the Human Resources Development Working Group, the Transportation Working Group, the Industrial Science and Technology Working Group and other groups supporting the APEC work programme in areas such as consumer protection, banking, finance or taxation issues. TEL stands ready to support electronic networking of relevant information within APEC.
20. TEL will also continue its close contact with relevant work in other international organisations including United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), International Organisation for Standardization (ISO), World Trade Organisation (WTO) and International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
Annex B
UNIVERSAL ACCESS PRINCIPLES
For those APEC economies who believe there is a need to provide universal access to telecommunications services, the following principles provide guidance on how APEC economies can accomplish this in line with the prevailing legal and regulatory environment and government structure of each economy, within the framework of the Bogor Declaration timetable for achieving free trade and investment in the APEC region:
1. Extension of basic telecommunications access is recognised as fundamental to economic development.
2. Each economy will decide on the scope of its own Universal Access objectives according to its own circumstances.
3. The evaluation of universal access objectives should take account of the broad economic and social benefits and the corresponding costs of limited access.
4. The telecommunications regulatory framework:
5. The policy framework for universal access should encourage:
6. To be sustainable in the long run, universal access must be provided on a basis that is independent of implicit cross-subsidies. Therefore revenues should be arranged so that net costs are met through one or more of the following mechanisms:
MINISTERIAL DECLARATION ON THE
APEC MUTUAL RECOGNITION ARRANGEMENT FOR CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
EQUIPMENT
We, the APEC Ministers responsible for the Telecommunications and Information Industry, gathered at Singapore, 3-5 June 1998,
heeding the call of APEC Leaders:
at Osaka, November 1995, for the development and implementation, on an elective basis, of a model mutual recognition arrangement on conformity assessment for telecommunications equipment; and
at Subic, November 1996 to identify sectors where early voluntary liberalisation would have a positive impact on trade, investment and economic growth in the individual economies as well as in the region, and to submit recommendations on how this could be achieved;
noting the identification by APEC Ministers responsible for Trade at Vancouver in November 1997, of a mutual recognition arrangement on conformity assessment for telecommunications equipment as a sector for early voluntary liberalisation; wherein Ministers responsible for Trade had urged that this work be concluded in the first half of 1998, with a view to commencing implementation wherever possible in 1999;
noting also that our Leaders and the APEC Ministers responsible for Trade had stated at Vancouver in November 1997 that the development and implementation of sectoral initiatives, such as a model mutual recognition arrangement on conformity assessment for telecommunications equipment, should take into account the different levels of economic development and diverse circumstances of all APEC member economies;
applauding the important preparatory work undertaken by the APEC Telecommunications Working Group (TEL) to complete the Framework for such an arrangement and the Enhanced APEC Guidelines for Regional Harmonisation of Equipment Certification by September 1997;
satisfied that, consistent with the leadership shown by APEC in initiating the World Trade Organisation's Information Technology Agreement in 1996 and in ensuring the success of the WTO Basic Telecommunications Services Agreement in 1997, the conclusion of this Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Conformity Assessment for Telecommunications Equipment will:
acknowledging that this Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Conformity Assessment for Telecommunications Equipment is an expression of intent by the participating economies to work together in their mutual interest, and does not, in and of itself, create legally binding international obligations for economies;
DO HEREBY DECLARE their strong endorsement [2] for this, the first ever Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on Conformity Assessment for Telecommunications Equipment among APEC economies, as a major milestone in their efforts to facilitate trade in telecommunications within the APEC region and to expand the Asia Pacific Information Infrastructure for the benefit of all APEC economies; and
DO FURTHER DECLARE in the form shown in the Appendix attached hereto, the indicative timeframe by which their individual economies will voluntarily participate in this Mutual Recognition Arrangement.
1 The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) provides that WTO Members "shall ensure, whenever possible, that results of Conformity Assessment Procedures in other WTO Members are accepted, even when those procedures differ from their own, provided they are satisfied that those procedures offer an assurance of conformity with applicable technical regulations or standards equivalent to their own procedures." The Agreement also provides that "Where a positive assurance of conformity with a technical regulation or standard is required, Members shall, wherever practicable, formulate and adopt international systems for conformity assessment and become members thereof or participate therein."
2 Chile sees the MRA as a step forward towards the elimination of trade barriers in the APEC region. However, in view of the very open nature of the current Chilean certification system for telecommunications equipment, and in line with Chile's stated position on Early Voluntary Sectoral Liberalisation within APEC, Chile abstains from endorsing the Ministerial Declaration on the APEC Mutual Recognition Arrangement for Conformity Assessment of Telecommunications Equipment.
Indicative Schedule for Voluntary Participation in the Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Conformity Assessment for Telecommunications Equipment
| Economy |
Mutual Recognition of Test Reports (Phase I) |
Mutual Recognition of Equipment Certification (Phase II) |
| Australia |
Australia already accepts test reports from other parties. |
Suppliers declarations are accepted now. Australia does not require certification. |
| Brunei Darussalam |
2003 |
2003 |
| Canada |
End of 1998 |
End of 1999 |
| China |
2002 for network terminals |
To be advised |
| Hong Kong, China |
Already in effect |
July 1999 |
| Indonesia |
2005 |
To be advised |
| Japan |
July 1999 |
July 1999 (targeted, but could be 2000) |
| Korea |
July 1999 |
To be advised |
| Malaysia |
2003 |
2003 |
| Mexico |
June 2001 |
To be advised |
| New Zealand* |
(See footnote) |
(See footnote) |
| Papua New Guinea |
December 2001 |
To be advised |
| Philippines |
2005 |
2006 |
| Singapore |
July 1999 |
End of 1999 |
| Chinese Taipei |
Already in effect |
2000 (targeted, but could be 2001) |
| Thailand |
2004 |
2006 |
| United States |
FCC currently accepts test data from other parties. |
July 1999 |
* The responsibility for setting the standards for attachment to telecommunications networks in New Zealand rests with network operators, not the government — except in as far as electrical safety and electro-magnetic compatibility are concerned. Recognising its potential to contribute towards removal of non-tariff barriers in the APEC region, New Zealand proposes to endorse the MRA.
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