List of Major APEC Outcomes From Previous Leaders' Meetings

The Brunei APEC Economic Leaders meeting November 15-16 built on the progress of the seven previous meetings, which have advanced the vision of an Asia-Pacific region of shared interests and prosperity.  Highlights of previous leaders meetings include the following:

Blake Island, Washington State, USA, November 20, 1993

APEC economic Leaders envisioned an Asia-Pacific that harnessed the energy of its diverse economies, strengthened cooperation, and promoted prosperity.  To this end, the Leaders called for continued reduction of trade and investment barriers to allow goods, services, capital, and investment to flow freely among APEC economies.  The groundbreaking meeting of regional Leaders at Blake Island has elevated the focus on the Asia-Pacific region among officials, the private sector, and general public.   

Bogor, Indonesia, November 15, 1994

In their Declaration of Common Resolve, the APEC Leaders reached the landmark agreement to achieve the goal of free and open trade and investment in the region no later than 2010 for industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies.

Osaka, Japan, November 19, 1995

Leaders adopted the Osaka Action Agenda, a blueprint for implementing APEC's commitment to free and open trade and investment, business facilitation, and economic and technical cooperation.

Manila, The Philippines, November 25, 1996

Leaders adopted the Manila Action Plan for APEC (MAPA), which includes individual and collective action plans to achieve the Bogor goals of free and open trade and investment by 2010 and 2020.  The Leaders meeting also endorsed the Information Technology Agreement which led to the conclusion of the agreement in the WTO.  Leaders endorsed the focus of APEC's economic and technical cooperation activities into six areas: developing human capital, fostering safe and efficient capital markets, strengthening economic infrastructure, harnessing technologies of the future, promoting environmentally sustainable growth, and encouraging the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Vancouver, Canada, November 24-25, 1997

Leaders endorsed the Early Voluntary Sectoral Liberalization (EVSL) initiative which seeks, among other elements, to cut tariffs in several key economic sectors.  The nine "priority" sectors identified in Vancouver for immediate action were chemicals, fish products, forestry products, energy goods and services, environmental goods and services, gems and jewelry, medical equipment, the Telecommunications Mutual Recognition Agreement, and toys.  Leaders also endorsed a framework of public-private partnerships in infrastructure development aimed at making more resources available for infrastructure investment in the region.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, November 17-18, 1998

Leaders agreed to place the tariff-cutting elements of the priority sectors of the Early Voluntary Sectoral Liberalization (EVSL) Initiative into the WTO process in order to obtain an early WTO agreement on these sectors by the time of the Seattle WTO Ministerial in November/December 1999.  In addition, Leaders recommitted to help the Asia-Pacific region emerge from the financial crisis and return to economic growth.  As part of this strategy, they called for economic reforms and strengthening the international financial architecture. 

Auckland, New Zealand, September 11-13, 1999

APEC Leaders sought to maintain the momentum for economic reform as many regional economies emerged from the economic crisis that began in 1997.  Leaders approved an agenda for APEC designed to foster a new dynamic for the region, strengthen and open markets, reform regulatory regimes and enhance competition, and create greater opportunities for business.  Specific goals were to launch a new round of WTO trade negotiations and ensure preparations for possible Y2K problems.

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