Annex D

APEC Connectivity Blueprint for 2015-2025

Background

1. In the APEC Leaders' 2013 Declaration, we shared our aspiration to reach a seamlessly and comprehensively connected and integrated Asia-Pacific through the pillars of Physical Connectivity, Institutional Connectivity and People-to-People Connectivity.

2. Connectivity represents an ambitious target for a diverse regional organization such as APEC, but it is precisely that ambition that will drive strong and tangible achievement.

3. Connectivity will be important not only for governments and business, but also for APEC as a community. By connecting APEC's developed and emerging growth centers, the region's quality of growth will improve, contributing to the Asia-Pacific's economic prosperity and resilience.

4. In this regard, we note with appreciation that significant work has already been done by various APEC fora and working groups in advancing connectivity in the region. APEC economies have also undertaken substantial amounts of work to improve connectivity, both at the domestic and regional levels.

5. However, despite the many achievements and successes of APEC in promoting connectivity in previous years, many challenges still remain. On physical connectivity, there is still a disparity in access to and quality of physical and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure throughout the region.

6. On institutional connectivity, there is also a significant gap in the ability of existing institutions to promote connectivity due to various regulatory constraints or lack of capacity.

7. On people-to-people connectivity, much work needs to be done to ease existing barriers to interaction and mobility, and to develop joint endeavors that will support seamless flows of people.

8. We have therefore developed this Blueprint as a strategic guide for current and future initiatives that will bring the APEC region closer together, and as a high-level framework towards which many APEC work streams will focus their efforts.

The Vision of APEC Connectivity in 2025

9. Through the Blueprint, we commit to strengthen physical, institutional, and people-to-people connectivity by taking agreed actions and meeting agreed targets by 2025, with the objective of achieving a seamless and comprehensively connected and integrated Asia Pacific.

10. In order to attain this overarching goal, APEC member economies will undertake specific tangible actions at the physical, institutional, and people-to-people pillar levels.

11. This Blueprint contains existing connectivity-related initiatives; encourages reviving those initiatives that require further progress; and, proposes future initiatives for more efficient flows of goods, services, capital and people to drive APEC progress. It is also broad in scope and adaptable to the ever-changing conditions in the Asia-Pacific.

12. We envision this Blueprint accelerating and encouraging balanced, secure, sustainable and inclusive growth, as well as connecting growth poles in the region and bringing APEC closer together as a community.

Physical Connectivity

13. Under Physical Connectivity, with regard to cross-sectoral issues, we will focus on improving the investment climate, enhancing infrastructure financing through public private partnerships (PPP) and other means in APEC economies; adopting comprehensive assessment methods that considers key quality elements in evaluation of infrastructure project proposals; and, enhancing the application of good practices and people-centered investment for planning and implementing infrastructure projects.

14. We welcome the substantial work that has been done under the Finance Ministers' Process (FMP) to promote knowledge sharing and capacity building in the area of infrastructure PPPs.

15. We are pleased to note that the APEC PPP Experts Advisory Panel has launched work under the FMP, which supports, on a voluntary basis, a Pilot PPP Center based in Indonesia. We note with appreciation the role of the Panel in helping APEC economies tap into private sector sources of funding for infrastructure development, particularly through promoting PPPs, by acting as a repository of skills that will bring to life good practices in the APEC region and that will help channel technical assistance to developing economies seeking such assistance.

16. We commit to further establish dedicated PPP centers in APEC economies, with a view to developing a regional network of PPP centers to share good practices. In the longer term, these centers can play an important role in supporting the establishment of an APEC-wide market for infrastructure financing. We also welcome the Implementation Roadmap to Develop Successful Infrastructure PPP Projects in the APEC Region and the Action Agenda on Promoting Infrastructure Investment through PPP.

17. We will develop, maintain and renew quality infrastructure, including energy, ICT and transport infrastructure and seek to increase the quality and sustainability of APEC transport networks; increase broadband internet access; promote sustainable energy security; and build resiliency into the energy infrastructure.

18. We will help facilitate the efficient and effective operation of maritime transportation and shipments, especially considering that a majority of maritime infrastructure development projects happen on a unilateral basis. We take note of several pathfinder initiatives where future cooperation could produce tangible results.

19. We will strengthen air transportation cooperation to boost robust trade and people-to-people connections, share experiences and good practices to promote efficiency and security of air connectivity

20. We note that ICT development has been a focus of APEC's work since its inception in 1989, as increased information sharing and improved communication technology allow for faster and reliable connections between people and organizations throughout the Asia-Pacific, facilitating trade and economic growth. We resolve to continue our efforts jointly in enhancing the access to ICT resources by using available technologies to reduce digital divide and increase greater connectivity in the region.

21. We resolve to tap into APEC's considerable potential in fostering future energy cooperation initiatives, especially in the areas of energy-related trade and environmental sustainability. APEC represents an ideal forum to explore this concept of expanded cross-border energy trade and renewable energy in a non-binding manner. We will further aspire to ensure quality electricity supply for all member economies.

Institutional Connectivity

22. Under Institutional Connectivity, we will strive to make progress in jointly addressing issues of trade facilitation, structural and regulatory reforms as well as transport and logistics facilitation, which are of critical importance to APEC as a regional forum.

23. We aim to modernize customs and border agencies and enable a whole-of-government approach in the development of regulations, including coordination across regulatory, standards, and trade agencies.

24. We support APEC's work to encourage each member economy to develop its own Single Window system by 2020 and we encourage efforts to promote international interoperability between Single Window systems and paperless trading.

25. We will further strengthen the initiatives under the APEC Supply-Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan (SCFAP) by systematically improving supply chain performance through implementing a capacity building plan to assist economies in overcoming specific obstacles within the eight chokepoints of the SCFAP.

26. On regulatory coherence, we will implement initiatives that focus on regulatory cooperation through the sharing of best practices on regulatory issues. We note that industry dialogues are already well advanced in this process. The internet is a good and effective tool to help economies strengthen their implementation of good regulatory practices (e.g. ensuring internal coordination of regulatory work, assessing the impact of regulations, and conducting public consultations). Economies will further explore using internet-based tools to strengthen the implementation of good regulatory practices, including through the initiative on new actions APEC economies could take to strengthen the conduct of public consultations on proposed regulations in the Internet era.

27. Under structural reform, the APEC Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Multi-Year Project (MYP) facilitates tailored capacity building activities to support economies in achieving the aspirational target of making it 25% cheaper, faster, and easier to do business. We aim to achieve these goals by harmonizing local policies with existing international agreements, and agree to consider the continuation of our work on the EoDB until 2020.

28. We commit to fostering transparency, safety, competition and better functioning markets, including e-commerce, in the Asia Pacific and aim to expand the application of secure and trusted ICT and e-commerce environment by 2025.

29. APEC needs to build a strategy to tackle the policy challenges raised by the Middle-Income Trap (MIT). Improving an economy's competitiveness, productivity levels and its regulatory environment for the ease of doing business can contribute to overcoming some of the issues that underpin the MIT.