Enhanced Counter-Terrorism Controls to Promote Efficiency in Regional Export Trade: The APEC STAR Initiative

Reforms that simultaneously enhance security controls while facilitating the Asia-Pacific region's US$2.8 trillion export trade is an objective of the Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) Conference to be held in Bangkok, 23-25 February.

APEC Executive Director, Ambassador Piamsak Milintachinda, said the STAR Initiative supports the twin goals of promoting trade efficiency at the same time as controls are strengthened over trade in the APEC region.

"All APEC economies are strengthening air and sea port security to protect against terrorist activities and threats," said Ambassador Milintachinda.

"Last year APEC Leaders agreed to a package of measures designed to strengthen security against the terrorist threat while simultaneously boosting trade efficiency. An important aspect of this was to ensure that increased controls added efficiency to trading and travelling across borders.

"Greater security with more efficient trade benefits every APEC economy.

"High-end technology products through to consumer products and agricultural produce are vital export sectors for most of the Asia-Pacific region.

"Increasingly stringent port processing procedures that are not operating at full efficiency could incur additional transaction expenses for exporters through delays and lost opportunities.

"The STAR Initiative is an ongoing process to develop measures to achieve the twin APEC goals of increased security against terrorism along with the more efficient flow of goods, services and people across borders.

Ambassador Milintachinda said there will be significant discussions on implementing capacity building programmes to achieve STAR objectives in developing economies.

"Participation of leading international organisations will bring significant depth of knowledge and experience to the STAR conference," said Ambassador Milintachinda.

"The Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the International Maritime Organisation, the World Customs Organisation, the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the International Air Transport Association are all making presentations at the STAR conference."

Co-hosted by Thailand and the United States, the STAR Conference will be attended by representatives of all 21 APEC economies and the private sector covering a range of transport and trade issues.

"Issues high on the agenda at the STAR Conference include the provision of cargo and passenger details before they leave the port of embarkation," said Ambassador Milintachinda.

"A programme to assure container security while in transit and to identify high-risk containers will be discussed.

"Procedures for the provision of advance electronic information on container content to customs, port and shipping officials, screening arriving ships and port employee security will also be the subject of two rounds of maritime security discussions.

"Improvements to regional air safety will be the focus of two roundtable discussions.

"The aviation security roundtable will identify areas of airport and aircraft security that impact on the efficient movement of goods, services and people in the APEC region.

"The introduction of effective baggage screening equipment and procedures, standards for reinforced flight deck doors, and mandatory aviation security audits will be topics for discussion at the STAR Conference.

"The supply chain security roundtable will explore what the private sector can do to help ensure the integrity of trade items from the point of manufacture to the port of final destination.

"The roundtable discussion on project planning and finance is designed to help APEC developing economies in identifying sources of possible funding and procedures for assessing their needs and designing projects.

"As stated by APEC Leaders during their last two meetings in Mexico and China, terrorism is a direct challenge to APEC's goals of free, open and prosperous economies.

"APEC economies are united in the determination to end the threat that terrorism poses to our shared goals of a more prosperous Asia-Pacific Region."

Event: Conference on Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR)
Venue: Le Royal Meridien Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.
Dates: 23-25 February 2003