An influential trade body yesterday called on the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum to accelerate the shift from its 'vision' of trade liberalisation to action. The Pacific Economic Co-operation Council (Pecc) also urged this year's host nation, Canada, to focus on implementing existing policy rather than attempting to add to the forum's sweeping goals. Pecc brings together government officials, business leaders and academics from 22 Pacific Rim countries to discuss trade and economic issues. Hong Kong's Pecc committee, chaired by William Fung, yesterday held its 19th meeting to discuss trade issues and formulate policy. There was general support for the need to attain Apec's aims, but differing views on the importance of comparing member's reform proposals contained in their Individual Action Plans (IAP). The call for action comes as finance ministers from the member-economies prepare to meet in the Philippines' island resort of Cebu on Saturday and Sunday, their fourth meeting and the first since Kyoto, Japan. Finance ministers are expected to announce plans to get the private sector involved in developing the infrastructure of the Apec economies. Trade Department's deputy director general Tam Wing-pong said: 'We have had three or four very successful years [in Apec]. 'Since we started talking we have made a lot of progress which climaxed in the Manila Action Plan for Apec [Mapa].' Mr Tam, also the deputy chairman of Pecc, warned of concerns over a 'lack of clamour or focus' as the forum shifts from vision to action. He said that host country Canada could feel 'concerned' that the process of implementation would lack the glamour of the previous ministerial and leaders' meetings. A Government economist, Tang Kwong-yu, backed the call for more action and recommended the creation of criteria to compare plans and progress made by member economies. Mr Tang said: 'The time has come for consolidation, particularly in the light of commitments made under Mapa. 'Once countries have given a commitment it is necessary to have a process of review to see whether its commitments will be gradually brought into materialisation. 'While many economies have made appreciable commitments it may not be that uniform. Some commitments may be seen by others as not deep enough.' Mr Tam said the Trade Department was systematically implementing its IAP - which includes progressively introducing zero per cent tariffs on most products by 2010 - but said the territory should focus on its own liberalisation. 'We are just going to push ahead with our liberalisation rather than demand reciprocity,' Mr Tam said. 'While we would want to see what other economies are achieving we should look at our own situation rather than look over our shoulder.' Apec is an informal regional forum that aims to strengthen the multilateral trading system. Unlike the World Trade Organisation, it is a voluntary association of economies. Agreements are set in joint declaration rather than legal texts which means the process is aiming for consensus.
