In February 2008, MAG held a Workshop on IT/Electronic Industry on the margins of SOMI. This was in response to the directions from Ministers and the 2006 Joint Statement of the APEC Ministerial Meeting. What initiated discussion was the significant role played by the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) in APEC economies. APEC therefore needed to collaborate with the business sector - and other relevant parties - to identify and address the current issues surrounding IT.
The objectives of the workshop were to enhance understanding among government officials about the current situation, and the possible evolution, of the IT/electronics industry in the APEC region. Discussions were held to update and share information on trade liberalization in the IT/electronics industry under the WTO, as well as to identify APEC's further work on regional economic integration in IT/electronics by involving experts from industry, government and academia.
Participants discussed broad aspects of the IT/electronics industry and possible policy options; among them, the support of trade liberalization and enhancement in IT/electronics industry. The significance and importance of the role played by the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), in effect under the WTO since 1997, was reaffirmed. To counteract any possible erosion of the ITA, the workshop agreed that concrete steps should be taken, together with ABAC, to deal with this danger.
When they met in 2008 in Arequipa, Peru, MAG reaffirmed its commitment to Information Technology Agreement (ITA) principles and the importance of being especially careful about possible intents to erode the agreed system in place at the WTO.
In January 2007, a MAG workshop on remanufactured goods was organized to highlight the benefits of the global remanufacturing industry. Some topics included: energy savings, raw materials, and trade barriers. The workshop's outcome inspired MAG members to consider reviewing their tariff and non-tariff policies towards the trade of such goods.
A further important step to strengthen APEC's work in promoting high quality, comprehensive RTAs and FTAs, in collaboration with other groups, particularly with ABAC, the Auto Dialogue and the Chemical Dialogue, MAG is working on Rules of Origin (ROO) aiming at minimizing the impact of the 'spaghetti bowl' of FTAs and RTAs in the region. MAG is also addressing customs procedures and standards and conformance by seeking to help achieve convergence of rules through comparative examination and study of the differences in the region.
MAG is seeking to obtain information from economies concerning their policies on remanufactured products, in order to identify possible areas of work and advancement. MAG will seek proactively a cooperative point of view on Rules of Origin, taking into account the economies' varying perspectives on standardization issues.
As part of the re-focus of APEC's trade and investment liberalization and facilitation agenda, MAG has been exploring concrete ways to reduce barriers in environmental goods and services. These include accelerating regional economic integration and reducing behind-the-border barriers to improve the investment climate.
Building on the first successful initiative and to further contribute to the discussion of ongoing WTO negotiations on removing barriers to trade in environmental goods and services, another workshop on Environmental Goods and Services (Climate Change) took place in May 2008, on the margins of SOM II, in Arequipa, Peru. The workshop focused on opportunities for liberalizing environmental goods and services relevant to climate change, and tackled more technical aspects of the issue.
Following the workshop, MAG agreed to discuss a possible work program on environmental goods and services. MAG is presently involved in achieving a definition of an environmental good and service that would be acceptable to all participating economies. MAG will attempt to identify policy issues relevant to their approach towards a possible database on environmental goods and services.
In August 2008, MAG agreed to conduct analytical work on preferential Rules of Origin (ROO) with regard to specific sectors.
Members discussed Singapore's proposal for initiating an environmental goods and services work program as a response to Trade Ministers' instruction.
