ISOM

Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting: ISOM and Related Activities

Between 1-3 December 2021 in Phuket. The meeting organised a symposium on the topics of “From COVID-19 to balance, sustainability, and inclusion, the opening of trade and investment during COVID-19, and reconnecting in all dimensions after COVID-19.” There was also a discussion between the Chairperson of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and APEC Senior Officials with the introduction of the theme of ABAC 2022, which was Embrace, Engage, Enable which reflects new opportunities and reconnection of businesses after the COVID situation that halted the economy. During the ISOM meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented the main theme "Open. Connect. Balance." for Thailand’s APEC Chairmanship in 2022, which led to the exchanging of views during the Meeting without any objection to the theme and the priorities raised by Thailand.

MRT

Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting: MRT for 2022

     Between 21-22 May 2022. Thailand hosted the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting (MRT), with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce (H.E. Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit) presiding over the Meeting that was held at Centara Grand at Central World. 
     The key points from the Meeting can be summarized as follows:
     1) APEC Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) between the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade and the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC): The meeting discussed how to drive the development of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) in the Context of COVID-19 and the future, how to handle the COVID-19, the reduction of non-tariff measures and improving customs regulations, as well as using RCEP/CPTPP as guidelines for the preparation of FTAAP, the importance of digital economy and digital trade, trade policies related to climate change, empowering women and MSMEs, promoting activities relating to capacity-building in preparation of a high-quality FTAAP, and the organization of work programme that take into account issues that the private sector attaches importance to, such as the transition to a digital society. and strengthening transparent trade regulations, to name a few.
     2) The MRT Meeting on the agenda of Multilateral Trading System: The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) sought support from the APEC members to push for the 12th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference (MC12). The meeting indicated its support of the multilateral trading system with the WTO at the center and exchanged views and guidelines on trade policies that support trade facilitation to speed up the recovery of the economies affected by COVID-19. Furthermore, most of the APEC members agreed with the WTO Director on finding the solutions to conclude the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, and WTO Agreement on Agriculture that is linked to the issue of food security, as well as to drive forward the negotiations on waiving certain provisions on intellectual property protection regarding the COVID-19 vaccines, and to reform the WTO, particularly on resolving the vacancies in the Appellate Body.
     3) The MRT Meeting on the agenda of coexisting with COVID-19 and the future: The meeting exchanged views on several important issues, for example, the support for taking advantage of digital technology in conducting economic activities, economic and trade activities including facilitation on the transportation of essential goods, strengthening the recovery of the supply chain, connecting people-to-people and the movement of people across the borders, supporting the participation of women and MSMEs in the global economy to achieve the sustainable and inclusive growth in accordance with the Putrajaya Vision 2040, and to focus on the issues of trade and the environment, management of problems relating to the environment, energy, and so forth.

CTI

Discussion Between the New Chair of the Committee on Trade and Investment and the APEC Secretariat

     On 6 October 2021. The discussion can be summarized as follows: Thailand, as the APEC Chair in 2022, will place importance on the concept of a Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG Economy) to stimulate the change in thoughts and behaviors towards achieving balance in all dimensions. The 3 important issues being highlighted were:
1) trade and investment facilitation.
2) inclusive growth.
3) connect in all dimensions.
     Particularly in sectors affected by COVID-19. In the context of the Ministry of Commerce, the key deliverables consisted of a project on the exchange of best practices for MSMEs that are environmentally friendly and use innovation through economic models of bioeconomy, circular economy, and green economy (APEC Best Practices for Green and Innovative MSMEs by using the BCG model), and promoting Regional Economic Integration (REI) by preparing a concept paper on driving the development of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) in the post-COVID-19 era.

Meeting of the Committee on Trade and Investment under APEC, No. 3/2022

     Between 26-27 August 2022. The meeting took place in Chiang Mai with the following key points:
     1) The information exchange mechanism on policy discussion regarding the WTO Plus aspect of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs/RTAs): The meeting exchanged opinions and points of views on the environmental provisions in free trade agreements while focusing on how to deal with climate change and how to drive discussions on environmental issues under the APEC in the future.
     2) Progress report on Thailand’s priorities: Thailand reported the outcomes of the activities on the APEC BCG Symposium held on 20 May 2022 in Bangkok, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported the progress on the development of the Bangkok Goals on BCG Economy.
     3) Support for the Multilateral Trade System: WTO Deputy Director-General (Ms. Anabel González) and the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization (Mrs. Pimchanok Pitfield) reported the outcomes from the 12th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference. The meeting indicated its delight at the outcomes and suggested that the WTO members should act according to the obligations under the WTO and the outcomes of the Ministerial Conference.
     4) Driving the establishment of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP): Thailand and the Chair of the Committee on Trade and Investment presented the draft work plan on the agenda regarding the development of the FTAAP, in which some member economies still had some questions on the concept of Champion Economy on the issue of Focus Area of whom Thailand will discuss the issue with the relevant member economies to push for the adoption of the work plan
     5) Trade Facilitation, Connectivity, Digitalisation and Innovation: The meeting noted the progress on various projects, such as the next steps for the implementation plan for linking supply chain proposed by Singapore, and further work on promoting the participation of SMEs in the global value chains, as proposed by Australia
     6) The project on promoting inclusivity and sustainability: The meeting adopted the proposal by Singapore on capacity-building on carbon pricing and carbon market
     7) Highlighted individual actions by APEC member economies actions on the Aotearoa Plan of Action (APA): Canada and Peru presented their actions to promote the development of indicators for the Action Plan. and the preparations for the reporting of Individual actions in 2023.

MAG

Meeting of the Market Access Group: MAG

No. 1 on 17 February 2022 (via video conference). The meeting made progress on the issues of operations on taxation, support for the multilateral trading system, and economic integration among the member economies. As well as the strengthening of connectivity to achieve comprehensive linkage and development of basic infrastructure.
No. 2 on 22 August 2022 in Chiang Mai. Progress was made on the issues of tax operations, support for the multilateral trading system, and discussions on economic integration among member economies, as well as strengthening of connectivity to achieve comprehensive linkage and development of basic infrastructure.

The 62nd Meeting of the APEC Market Access Group: MAG
     The meeting discussed the progress on the reduction of tariffs on environmental goods in the Environmental Goods List (EG List) to 0-5 percent, with 20 APEC member economies, including Thailand, already reduced tariffs on 54 environmental goods, leaving only Chile, who is expected to still be in the process, and the transposition the Harmonised Tariff Schedule from the 2017 edition (HS 2017) to the 2022 edition (HS 2022) for environmental goods under the APEC.

CSOM, AMM, AELM

Concluding Senior Officials' Meeting (CSOM), The 33rd APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM), and the 29th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) 
     On 18-19 November 2022, the Prime Minister (H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha) chaired the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) and the Minister of Commerce (Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit) with the Minister of Foreign Affairs (H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai) co-chaired the APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM). The main points can be summarised as follows: 
     1) The CSOM noted the FTAAP Agenda Work Plan to support driving forward the creation of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), which was one of Thailand’s priority deliverables for her hosting of APEC; 
     2) The AMM exchanged views and useful information on maintaining an open and sustainable trade and investment to ensure that the Asia-Pacific region remains the most dynamic in the world and that the regional economy is seamlessly interconnected; 
     3) The AELM agreed to deal with fragile economic conditions such as inflation and food security through highlighting the importance of the multilateral trading system that emphasises open and free trade, the pushing forward of the FTAAP agenda, supporting MSMEs, and having appropriate regulations to deal with climate change; and 
     4) The APEC members adopted outcome documents, including outcomes of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (Leaders’ Declaration and Bangkok Goals on Bio-Circular-Green Economy) and outcomes of the APEC Ministerial Meeting (APEC Joint Ministerial Statement).

Internal Meetings

Meeting of the National Committee to Prepare for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and Related meetings during Thailand’s APEC Chairmanship in 2022.
     Meeting No. 3/2021 on 8 October 2021. The Vice-Minister for Commerce (H.E. Dr. Sansern Samalapa) represented the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Commerce (H.E.Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit) as the Vice-Chairman, while the Director-General of the Department of Trade Negotiations (Mrs. Auramon Supthaweethum) attend the meeting as a Committee Member, and Minister (Commercial) and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization (Performing official duties in the capital) (Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote) (representing the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Commerce) attended the meeting. The main points endorsed by the meeting were as follows:
     1) Development of the Bangkok Goals on BCG Economy, a document to be adopted by the APEC Economic Leaders in November 2022 to drive the recovery from COVID-19 and to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, driving the establishment of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) that takes the COVID-19 into account to investigate the readiness
and the needs of each member economy on the development of the FTAAP. 
     2) The logo for Thailand’s APEC Chairmanship in 2022 will be “Chalom” (wooden bamboo basket) while there will be a video presentation for the APEC Chairmanship Handover Ceremony and the proposal to have a live-broadcast of the Chairmanship Handover Ceremony from New Zealand to Thailand.
     3) Important meetings in the APEC 2022 Notional Calendar should aim to take place as face-to-face meetings to be in-line with the goal of re-opening the country.

     Meeting No. 2/2022 on 8 August 2022. The meeting took place at the Government House and via video conference. The Prime Minister (General Prayut Chan-o-cha) chaired the Meeting, and the Vice-Minister for Commerce (H.E. Dr. Sansern Samalapa) represented the Deputy Prime Minister while the Director-General of the Department of Trade Negotiations (Mrs. Auramon Supthaweethum) represented the Minister of Commerce and Minister (Commercial) and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization (Performing official duties in the capital) (Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote) represented the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Commerce in attending the meeting. The key points were as follows:
     1) Noted the progress in driving Thailand's important outcomes (Priorities) in 3 areas, which are: open to relationship building (OPEN), connectivity (CONNECT), and towards achieving balance (BALANCE).
     2) Acknowledged the schedule of important APEC Meetings for 2022, including meetings related to the Ministry of Commerce, which are the APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM) on 17 November 2022 and the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) between 18-19 November 2022.
     3) Noted the progress of the Sub-Committee on Formalities and Administration, and the Sub-Committee on Public Relations.
     4) Approved the additional public holidays between 16-18 November 2022 during the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, as well as the selection of souvenirs for APEC Economic Leaders and their spouse, including metal engravings and bags for ladies and gentlemen, and the making of a commemorative coin for Thailand's APEC Chairmanship in 2022.