Annex B - APEC Statement on Promoting RCE Trade and Investment

Promoting Renewable and Clean Energy (RCE) trade and investment is crucial for meeting our current and future energy needs. Greater use of RCE will diversify our energy supply and reduce environmental impact. In recent years, the market for RCE has been consistently growing, but various patterns of barriers in cross border trade and investment remain a persistent challenge. In 2014, a Public Private Dialogue on RCE Trade and Investment was held to launch the APEC Public Private Partnership on Environmental Goods and Services (PPEGS), promote RCE trade and investment and increase the utilization of RCE. Based on previous APEC work on RCE and the recommendations of the 1st PPEGS dialogue, bearing in mind the non-binding and voluntary nature of APEC, we agreed to undertake the following:

1. Promote market openness by further addressing trade barriers on RCE products among APEC member economies, work together to fight against all forms of trade protectionism in the RCE sector and deepen our cooperation on monitoring and resisting protectionist measures;

2. Prevent trade frictions in cross border RCE trade and investment by strengthening coordination and cooperation among APEC economies, including by holding public private dialogues regularly and building broader understanding and trust among APEC economies;

3. Promote regulatory coherence and cooperation in areas affecting RCE trade and investment, including by exploring the alignment of standards and certification systems in the RCE industry, to ensure the supply of high quality RCE products in this region;

4. Ensure that all government support and incentive programs aimed at promoting environmental goods and services are transparent and consistent with WTO rules;

5. Strengthen the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights and recognize the importance of comprehensive and balanced intellectual property systems that provide for and protect the incentives that encourage creativity and innovation, and provide substantial support to RCE research and development;

6. Encourage economies to report progress in realizing the objectives of the 2011 Leaders Declaration on Trade and Investment in Environmental Goods and Services on voluntary basis;

7. Encourage RCE technology cooperation amongst APEC economies with a view to contributing to sustainable and inclusive development; and

8. Engage the private sector and academia more deeply and frequently in RCE related policymaking to support APEC cooperation and create more cooperative opportunities for RCE industries among APEC economies.

We are committed to create an enabling environment for RCE trade and investment to contribute to sustainable development and common prosperity in the Asia Pacific region. We direct officials to develop knowledge sharing and capacity-building activities relevant to implementing these actions, including exchanging views, experiences, and best practices to promote RCE trade and investment.