APEC at a Glance

What is APEC?
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a group of 21 economies located in the Asia-
Pacific region that are dedicated to achieving a shared prosperity through economic growth and
free trade.
Officials from APEC economies convene every year, throughout the year, to discuss ways to facilitate
trade and promote sustainable development across the region. During these meetings, everyone
is equal: big and small economies work side-by-side to develop workable solutions to trade and
investment barriers.

48% 59%
The forum was formed in 1989 as an informal dialogue among government officials from 12
economies. Since then, its membership and scope has expanded. 39% USD 43 trillion
2.8 billion USD 20 trillion
Today, APEC members make up a big part of the world. The member economies are home to people
around 2.8 billion people and represent one of the most valuable economic regions. In 2016, APEC
accounted for more than half of GDP and half of the world trade. World Total Global
Population World Trade Real GDP

What does APEC Do?

APEC ensures that goods, services, investment and people move easily across As a result of APEC’s work, economic growth in the region has doubled since 1989.
borders. Member economies learn from each other, align regulations, address
standards and coordinate to create favorable business climates.
APEC Region Real GDP in USD
Trillion
50
45
40
35
30

The APEC Mission 25

20
15
10
5
0
• Promote trade
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

and investment
• Improve living standards
• Support economic and
technical cooperation And as the economy grows, it is an equally crucial part of APEC’s mission to
• Build sustainable, secure help everyone benefit from it. The people of the Asia-Pacific saw their per capita
economic growth
income rise threefold, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty and creating a
growing middle class in just over two decades.

Economic
Trade and and Technical
Investment APEC Region Per Capita GDP in USD
Cooperation
Liberalization
(ECOTECH) 18,000
16,000
14,000
Business 12,000
Facilitation 10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
What Makes APEC Different?
APEC is consensus-driven; each member has an equal say in decision-making,
and the forum does not impose legal commitments on its members. This difference
makes APEC unique from other organizations, because it is easier for members to
bring up topics that would be difficult to tackle in a more formal setting.
This makes APEC an incubator of ideas. The forum brings together policy-
makers, business leaders, and academics on a regular basis to work toward the
common goal of improving economic conditions for the benefit of their societies.
Voluntary No Politics Laboratory
APEC does not deal with geopolitical issues. Its membership is comprised of Ideas
of economies, and not political entities.

How Does APEC Work?

A year in APEC is full of projects that tackle
a broad range of issues. These projects are
designed and implemented in a series of
meetings, with the senior government leaders
who propose objectives and targets one side,
and those that make them concrete on the other.

The Working Level The Policy Level

APEC’s working-level activities and projects are coordinated by four Working groups report and make recommendations to APEC senior officials, who
core committees: meet regularly at Senior Officials’ Meetings (SOMs) throughout the year. Senior
Officials act as a coordinating body for all APEC activity, and in turn report to their
1. Budget and Management Committee
ministers.
2. Committee on Trade and Investment
3. Economic Committee APEC convenes ministers of trade, finance, small and medium-sized business, and
4. Senior Officials’ Meeting Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation foreign affairs, as well as ministers of education, energy, environment, sustainable
development, science and technology, telecommunications, and transportation.
Under them are sub-committees, experts’ groups, working groups and task forces
who debate, discuss and formulate ways to eliminate barriers to trade, promote Nearing the end of the year these ministers – along with private sector representatives
regulatory best practices and build capacity. in the APEC Business Advisory Council – craft recommendations for APEC
Economic Leaders.
These groups contain experts in areas that are related to regional economic
integration—from electronic commerce to anti-corruption, from gender issues to In a culminating event each year, the Leaders of each APEC economy get together
disaster response. Collectively they represent the wide scope of cooperation among for the Economic Leaders’ Meeting, where they set the vision and identify priorities
APEC members. for the coming year.

Working Groups Senior Officials Ministers Leaders

To keep up to date with APEC, visit www.apec.org or follow us on social media:

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