Expedited immigration processing for APEC Business Visa holders will be introduced at major ports of entry.

APEC should establish a program of comprehensive cooperation on intellectual property rights, which includes (a) regular exchanges of information on border enforcement and on internal measures to combat the sale and distribution of violative material; (b) identification of member economies' resource needs to fully implement the Uruguay Round Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights agreement or equivalent obligations; and (c) the provision of technical assistance and training where necessary.

APEC economies should implement the Uruguay Round Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights agreement by 2000, accompanied by credible enforcement and the conduct of public education and awareness campaigns.

Adherence to the Harmonized System and the World Trade Organization Customs Valuation Agreement by the end of 1997.

Standardization and simplification of customs documents and procedures by 1997.

Full implementation of an APEC-wide electronic customs processing system by 2000.

Provision of technical training to economies that require assistance, ensuring that adequate resources are devoted to such programs.

APEC should establish voluntary investment principles that can be applied by host economies on a case-by-case basis to specific projects they believe will benefit from investment protection.

In a manner consistent with their domestic laws, World Trade Organization obligations and the principle of open regionalism, governments could declare particular projects or categories of projects as subject to these investment principles.

An ABAC task force will consult with rating agencies, multilateral development banks and global financial institutions to specify: (a) a list of investment principles to be included, and (b) other matters related to implementation. By November 1997, APEC economies should be able to identify initial AVIPs as demonstration projects, which should be reviewed in November 1998.

APEC should reinforce the Non-Binding Investment Principles by clarifying principles referring to transparency, non-discrimination, investment incentives, performance requirements, and removal of barriers to capital exports.

APEC economies should endeavor to commit to either the immediate implementation, or a timetable for implementation, of the Non-Binding Investment Principles as part of their economies' investment regimes, and to make a declaration to that effect during the Economic Leaders' meeting in Subic.

APEC economies should conduct a self-assessment of their progress towards implementing the Non-Binding Investment Principles and report on the results of this assessment at least three months prior to the 1997 APEC meeting in Canada.

The Economic Leaders should endorse a standstill date for investment measures.

APEC economies should accelerate the implementation of their commitments under the General Agreement on Trade in Services and the Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures, with due allowance for the conditions of development and preparedness of their individual economies.

APEC economies should establish "one-stop" investment agencies based on existing regional best practices to facilitate foreign investment.

APEC should develop a set of specific principles constituting a multilateral understanding on the elimination of double taxation and removal of other tax barriers to cross-border trade and investment.

APEC economies should limit the use of unilateral sanctions in connection with trade disputes and renounce the imposition of unilateral sanctions by an APEC member economy against any other member economy for non-trade purposes.

The APEC Committee on Trade and Investment should update and augment the Guide to Investment Regimes of the APEC Member Economies on an annual basis and develop a data base and an information retrieval system harnessing electronic networks for this publication.

Intensify coordination between APEC economies and between export credit agencies of each economy to help finance infrastructure projects. Member economies should consider ways to promote coordination of their export and investment insurance policies.

Cooperate with multilateral institutions to further enhance risk mitigation.

Provide export and investment insurance adapted from successfully executed models used by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry and the United States' Overseas Private Investment Corporation as the basis for a carefully structured insurance system.

Maintain a stable policy and macroeconomic environment and guarantee foreign exchange convertibility.

Ensure that the project is in accordance with clearly defined domestic development plans and programs that enjoy strong administrative and political support and are underpinned by the principle of sustainable development.

Ensure maximum flexibility in the use of public sector funds and coordination with private sector funding.

Promote a competition-driven environment for private sector infrastructure projects and open and non-discriminatory access to infrastructure.

Secure appropriate and responsible risk allocation between the host government and private enterprises.

Establish and harmonize domestic laws and regulations regarding private infrastructure projects to guarantee currency conversion, policy consistency in setting basic terms and conditions, and fulfillment of government obligations by pertinent authorities at all levels.

Establish clear policies and well-defined means of coordination between government agencies.

Expedite procedures for approving privately financed infrastructure projects.

Promote business participation in APEC Voluntary Investment Projects as models for private sector participation in infrastructure projects.

Provide technical and legal assistance to governments in developing fair and competitive bidding procedures.

Review contracts for fairness and transparency both for the host country and the project sponsor.

Provide mediation services and identify mutually satisfactory solutions to help resolve issues between host governments and investors that could lead to disputes.

Water, sewerage and environment. Governments must find ways to fund the balance when the full charge cannot be passed on to the consumers.

Public housing. Governments could provide tax credits to private developers of low-cost housing; allocate land for community and public housing uses by grant at zero or nominal rent; provide financial assistance for rentals to families on a monthly basis, to be reduced over time, or long-term low interest loans to promote home ownership.

Energy, power, pipelines, transmission, media and telecommunications. Governments can lock in long-term (typically 30 years) pre-agreed rates with the developer and, in the case of electricity generation and telecommunications, coordinate projects with the development of a rational, cross-border transmission network to meet demand.

Transportation, roads and mass transport. Governments can attract private investors to these sectors by (a) acquiring the right of way and clearing land for developers (which require strong public domain laws); (b) offering non-discriminatory tax holidays; (c) granting additional land to developers at or below market price as an additional source of repayment for the project; (d) providing grants or low-interest long-term loans to projects; or (e) offering minimum traffic guarantees or shadow toll rate structures.

Promotion of skills training. The Network should initiate and coordinate actions that will lead to the accelerated exchange and development of skills and standards to support skills training within and across APEC economies.

Virtual SME University Project. The Network should use the existing network of ACTETSME to develop an APEC-wide Virtual SME University. This virtual university, employing distance learning technology and the actual exchange of students and trainers, can deliver both pedagogic and/or actual training on technical and management skills to SMEs. This system can harness the centers of excellence on SME sector-specific technical skills and management training both in and outside APEC, facilitating the linking of supply and demand for training within the region. This virtual SME university should also address the training concerns of young entrepreneurs and women.

The SME Page. The Network should create an SME Page as part of the ACTETSME Home Page that can be "hot-linked" to domestic entry points. This SME Page will be used by the Network to tap, link and coordinate information network sources presently existing in APEC to harness information technology. It should provide SMEs information on human resources development, focal points in each economy, policies and programs, managerial tools, best practices, non-tariff barriers, credit programs, quality management practices and standards, and electronic partnering opportunities for SMEs.

Partnership and collaboration approach to technology transfer. Pairings of large and small companies using this approach can benefit SMEs through technical cooperation, secondment of administrative personnel in coaching roles and sponsorship of SMEs' membership in trade and industry associations. The Network should initiate and coordinate actions to promote policies that encourage such mentoring relationships between large business and SMEs. It should also initiate such projects within and across economies.

Expansion of APEC-wide networking opportunities for SMEs. The Network should facilitate and promote networking fora among SMEs in the region.

Strategic focus in line with the "essential elements" agreed to in the Osaka Action Agenda. APEC should focus on the following four priority areas: infrastructure, small and medium enterprise development, human resources development and technology cooperation. ABAC recommends that APEC should identify initial initiatives where highly-visible results are achievable in the short term.

Partnership between government and the business/private sector. ABAC recommends that APEC develop a regional framework for public-private sector partnership in economic and technical cooperation based on successful examples in individual economies. This requires a framework that attracts the business/private sector to provide resources and expertise through incentives that confer tangible benefits to business/private sector participants.

The APEC Network for Economic and Technical Cooperation. ABAC recommends that the Economic Leaders agree on the establishment of the APEC Network for Economic and Technical Cooperation. This network should draw its members from government and business/private sector organizations throughout APEC. It should be managed by a board of directors from both sectors. It should finance itself through voluntary contributions from governments and the business/private sector. The Economic Leaders should assign an appropriate APEC body to work closely with governments, the business/private sector and academe to develop the network.