Wednesday, 4 June 2003 - MVT42/2003

APEC Trade Ministers United In Support of World Trade Talks

A call by APEC trade ministers for progress on the World Trade Organisation Doha round of multilateral negotiations was an important boost to the push for world trade reform, Trade Minister Mark Vaile said from Thailand last night.

The strong message urging progress in the negotiations was delivered by trade ministers from the 21 APEC economies, at the conclusion of the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting in Khon Kaen, Thailand, yesterday.  APEC economies account for more than 60 per cent of global GDP.

“APEC trade ministers stressed the importance of achieving outcomes on agriculture, market access for goods and services, and development-related issues to ensure the successful conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda by 1 January 2005,” Mr Vaile said. 

“APEC ministers committed to work quickly to resolve the outstanding Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights and access to medicines issues, building on the outcomes of the WTO Mini Ministerial meeting I hosted in Sydney last November.

“Australia’s suggestion that trade and environment policies be mutually supportive, and that negotiations not undermine economies’comparative advantage nor weaken existing WTO disciplines, was also agreed to by APEC Ministers.

“Ministers agreed comprehensive regional and free trade agreements could promote liberalisation, especially by reinforcing the momentum of the Doha negotiations, and be used to achieve APEC’s goal of free and open trade and investment.

“Australia’s leadership in developing the APEC Pathfinder Initiative in Advance Passenger Information and other immigration service measures to improve the safety of airline travel was praised by ministers.  This initiative, announced by APEC Leaders last year, will enhance security for airline passengers and broaden APEC’s response to the threats posed by terrorism in practical and innovative ways.”

Ministers also endorsed an APEC Action Plan on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that aims to restore public confidence through a common set of guiding principles for health screening procedures for travellers, and to encourage cooperation on the prevention and treatment of SARS. 

“Ministers called unanimously for APEC economies and others to ensure that the fear of SARS was not used as a pretext for imposing measures that would inhibit the movement of people, capital or goods,” Mr Vaile said.