Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) brings together 21 diverse economies to share knowledge, best-practice and capacity building.  APEC is a voluntary and non-binding inter-governmental forum. Cooperation and collaboration are central to the way APEC works. The APEC Secretariat is located in Singapore.

The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) was created by APEC Economic Leaders in 1995 to be the business voice in APEC.  Each economy has three Members who are appointed by their respective Leaders. They normally meet four times a year to prepare their Report to the Leaders which is then discussed in a Dialogue that is a key event during the annual APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. The ABAC Secretariat is located in Manila.

Read our useful backgrounder on APEC and ABAC here.

 

APEC member economies are vital economic partners for New Zealand, normally taking around 73 percent of our exports and accounting for 70 percent of our imports.  

Fourteen of our top 20 export markets are APEC members, including the three largest economies in the world (the United States, China and Japan). 

Eighteen of our 19 FTAs are with APEC partners.

ABAC has in the past helped achieve a number of ‘wins’ for business, including:

the APEC Business Travel Card – removing significant obstacles for business people travelling around the region

ABAC has in the past helped achieve a number of ‘wins’ for business, including:

support for open markets in the Asia Pacific – including the concept of a “Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific”

the creation of the APEC Food System – using freer food trade to support food security goals

enhanced supply-chain connectivity – to reduce business costs and help trade flow more efficiently

principles for dealing with non-tariff barriers – important in helping to lower costs and remove inequities for exporters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REGISTER WITH TRADE WORKS

Register to stay up to date with latest news, as well as saving and discussing articles you’re interested in.

 

Remove

 

Latest News

Back to the future?

Remove

It’s been a busy but tough year for trade. Read our end-of-year roundup by Executive Director Stephen Jacobi.

CPTPP and the art of living dangerously

Remove

Read Stephen Jacobi’s assessment of the recent CPTPP Ministerial: there’s not much shouting about CPTPP these days but more passion would be a good thing

NZIBF 2024 Chair Report

Remove

Read the NZIBF Chair’s report for 2024.

Reimagining the trans-Tasman relationship for two decades

Remove

Australia is our most important partner. This year the Australia NZ Leadership Forum celebrates 20 years. Our colleague Simon Le Quesne reflects on this milestone for the Trade Working Blog.

THE NEXT BIG IDEA – THE SOUTHERN LINK

Remove

SouthernLink is a big, bold idea we need to help double export value. It’s a concept that is gaining traction but needs more advocacy, writes Stephen Jacobi.

TIES THAT BIND – EXPANDING CER TO ASEAN

Remove

Stephen Jacobi discusses expanding CER to ASEAN, based on his remarks he gave at an ASEAN NZ Business Council agri-business event, hosted by ANZ Bank.