Please ensure you are logged in to access the Member Menu

 Facebook   |   Linkedin   |   Twitter   |   YouTube                  Subscribe to our newsletter

Top Stories

PERUPEC: Minister Adriana Velarde Rivas appointed as the new PERUPEC Chair

Minister Adriana Velarde Rivas succeeds Minister Victor Muñoz Tuesta as the Chair of the Peruvian National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation (PERUPEC), effective July 1, 2026. Minister Velarde Rivas is a career diplomat in the Diplomatic Service of the Republic of Peru. She is a lawyer by training and holds a Master's degree in Diplomacy and International Relations from the Peruvian Diplomatic Academy, as well as a Master's degree in International Service from American University. Throughout her diplomatic career, she has served in various directorates of Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in diplomatic postings in the United States of America, Switzerland and Argentina. Since 1 July 2026, she has served as Head of the Directorate for APEC and Specialized Fora at the...

Pacific Currents

Trump Reciprocal Tariffs and Mitigating Global Recession: Role of ASEAN for the Soft-landing Option
Shandre Mugan Thangavelu, Christopher Findlay


Global value chains: From fruitful discussions to meaningful actions
Juan Navarro, Associate Faculty, Royal Roads University


Climate change in SOTR
Christopher Findlay, Tilak Doshi and Eduardo Pedrosa


Digital Technologies, Services and the Fourth Industrial Revolutions
Submitted by Jane Drake-Brockman, Christopher Findlay, Yose Rizal Damuri and Sherry Stephenson 


COVID-19 has Exposed Major Gaps in our Social Safety Nets: In a Post-COVID World Will these Gaps be Closed?
Hugh Stephens
Vice Chair, CANCPEC; Distinguished Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada; Executive Fellow, School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary


 

 

Member Updates

PERUPEC: Minister Víctor Muñoz Tuesta appointed as the new PERUPEC Chair

Minister Víctor Muñoz Tuesta succeeds Ambassador Renato Reyes as the Chair of Peruvian National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation (PERUPEC), effective 15 November 2025. Minister Muñoz is a career diplomat and lawyer from the University of San Martín de Porres, holding a Master’s degree in...

Appointment of Dr. Kaewkamol Pitakdumrongkit as Executive Director of the PECC International Secretariat

The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Kaewkamol Karen Pitakdumrongkit as Executive Director of the PECC International Secretariat, effective 1 January 2026. Dr. Pitakdumrongkit has been serving as the Interim Secretary General since February...

MXCPEC: Mr. Stéphane Michel appointed as the new MXCPEC Chair

The PECC International Secretariat is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Stéphane Michel as the new Chair of the Mexico National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation (MXCPEC) and Dr. Gerardo Traslosheros as the Executive Director of MXCPEC. Brief biographies: Mr. Stéphane Michel is...

PECC Signature Project: Addressing Labor Shortages Due to Low Birth Rates and Aging Population in the APEC Region

The Asia-Pacific region faces a pressing challenge: declining birth rates and aging populations are shrinking the workforce and threatening long-term growth. East Asia already records some of the world’s lowest fertility rates, while emerging economies are projected to experience similar...

CANCPEC: Ambassador Don Campbell Appointed to the Order of Canada

On June 30, 2025, former CANCPEC Chair Donald. W Campbell was appointed to the Order of Canada, one of Canada’s highest honours which recognizes people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to the country. Ambassador Campbell is a highly respected...

Strengthening Academic and Regional Ties

On Monday, 2 June 2025, we hosted a distinguished delegation from Universidad Panamericana, Mexico City: 🔹 Dr. Santiago García Álvarez, President 🔹 Dr. Héctor Xavier Ramírez Pérez, Vice-Dean 🔹 Mr. Gerson Garudno, CEO, Singapore-Mexico Chamber of Commerce The delegation visited the PECC...

More...

Focus Workshop on Trade

1 September 2003

Room J-3, International Convention Centre
Brunei Darussalam 

 

 

0830 - 0900

Registration

0900 - 1045

Session 1: State of World Trading System


Introductory Remarks on State of World Trading System

Moderator:  Robert Scollay (Trade Forum Coordinator)

 

Overview of Developments in DDA: Cancun and Beyond

  • Bijit Bora (World Trade Organization)
 

Business Perspective on the Doha Round

 

Implications of the End of the Multifibre Agreement

 

PECC Agriculture Proposal

 

Business Perspective on WTO Agriculture Negotiations

 

WTO Agriculture Negotiations

Discussants:

1045 - 1100

Coffee Break

1100 - 1300

Session 2: New Regional Integration Initiatives in the Asia-Pacific: Trade and Finance Dimensions (joint Session with Finance Forum)

Moderators: 

  •  
    • Soogil Young (Finance Forum Coordinator)
    • Robert Scollay (Trade Forum Coordinator)
 

Introductory Presentations:

 

Overview of Monetary Integration Initiatives in the Asia-Pacific

  • Soogil Young (Kim & Chang Law Offices, Seoul)

Overview of RTA Developments in the Asia-Pacific

Issues in the Relation Between Trade and Monetary Integration

  • Yunjong Wang (Korea Institute for International Economic Policy)
 

Regional Perspectives:

 

ASEAN:

Regional Integration Initiatives in the Asia Pacific: Trade and Finance Dimensions

Regional and Bilateral FTAs in Southeast Asia
 

Northeast Asia:

  • Huang Weiping (Renmin University of China)
  • Eiji Ogawa (Hitotsubashi University)
 

United States:

  • Charles Morrison (East West Center)
 

Latin America

1300 - 1430

Lunch

Launch of World Bank's Global Economic Report 2004 : "Realizing The Promise of the Doha Agenda

Chair: Christopher Findlay (PECC Coordinating Group Chair)

Presentation: Dominique van der Mensbrugghe (World Bank)

1430 - 1600

Session 3: WTO and APEC Issues:  Services Competition and Trade Facilitation

  • Moderator: Mari Pangestu (Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta)
 

PECC Perspectives on WTO and APEC Services Agendas

Technical papers:

 

Competition Policy: Cartels as an International Competition Issue

 

Services Liberalization and Competition Issues in the Telecom Sector: A Business Perspective

 

Trade Facilitation: A Case Study

 

Trade Facilitation From A Business Perspective: Issues and Ways Forward

1600 - 1615

Tea Break

1615 - 1800

Session 4:  RTA and The Road to Bogor

  • Moderator:  Fernando Gonzalez Vigil (Universidad del Pacifico)
 

RTAs, The Road to Bogor, and the Multilateral Trading System

 

Business Perspective on East Asian Regional Economic Integration

  • Timothy Ong (Asia-Inc. Forum)
 

Rules of Origin in RTAs: Is There A "Spaghetti Bowl" Problem?

 

Business Perspective on Rules of Origin in SIngapore FTAs

 

Proposals for an APEC Common Understanding on RTA