4th APEC TRANSPORTATION MINISTERIAL
MEETING
27-29 July 2004
Bali,
Indonesia
JOINT MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
We, the Ministers Responsible for
Transportation in the APEC Region, met in Bali, Indonesia, on
July 27-29, 2004, to continue progress towards achieving the
goals of free and open trade and investment in Asia-Pacific by
2010 for developed economies and 2020 for developing economies
set out by our APEC Economic Leaders' Declaration at Bogor. In
this regard, we strive for the highest possible standards of
efficiency, safety, security and environmental sustainability
for our transportation systems.
Since September 11, 2001, we have witnessed a
number of terrorist attacks around the world, including in the
APEC Region. We condemn, in the strongest terms possible, such
attacks and the targeting of transportation systems to inflict
terror on civilians. We are united in our determination to
enhance regional cooperation on transportation security.
In Bali, we considered ways and means of
reducing impediments to trade and investment, while enhancing
security and safety, including progressively liberalizing
transportation services, engaging in economic and technical
cooperation, and building human and institutional capacity. We
recognized that through the Secure Trade in the APEC Region
(STAR) initiative, APEC economies are building a transport and
trade system in our Region that strengthens security while
facilitating the movement of people and goods.
Recognizing the rapid increase of road
traffic fatalities and injuries worldwide, especially in the
APEC Region, which accounts for over 40 percent of the 1.2
million global fatalities, we commit to working together in
combating this rising transportation, public health and
economic problem.
We benefited from an open dialogue with the
leaders of the Region's transportation industry, and we call
upon industry and our officials to continue to work together
to promote economic prosperity and a secure, safe, efficient
and integrated transportation system for all member economies.
The Transportation Working Group (TPT-WG) is
the instrument by which both APEC Leaders' and Ministers'
goals and directions in the transport field are implemented
collectively. We noted the report of the activities of the
TPT-WG, and expressed our satisfaction with the work that it
has accomplished since our meeting in 2002, and endorsed its
Operational Plan.
OUR PRIORITIES FOR
THE FUTURE
Reaffirming that a principal aim of
cooperation in APEC for transportation is trade liberalization
and facilitation as well as economic and technical
assistance;
According high priority to ensuring a safe,
secure, efficient, integrated and environmentally sustainable
transportation system for the Region;
Recognizing that the capacity constraints of
our transportation systems need to be reduced so that our
people, goods and services can move safely and freely;
Recognizing that transnational organized
crimes increasingly pose serious threats to the security and
safety of aviation, land, and maritime transportation and
preservation of environment;
Recognizing that a focus on intermodalism
would permit the possibility of exploring innovative solutions
to transportation challenges in the region; and
Mindful of the priorities established by
Chile, as APEC Host Economy for 2004, with respect to
encouraging progress towards a community based on sustainable
development;
We state our priorities for all modes of
transportation as being:
-
Implementing the Bogor Goals on free and
open trade and investment;
-
Harnessing new technologies and best
practices to facilitate travel and trade;
-
Improving transport safety in the
region;
-
Implementing the goals of the Leaders'
Statement on Counter Terrorism, including efforts to curb
terrorist threats against all modes of transportation;
-
Implementing the Secure Trade in the APEC
Region (STAR) and other security related initiatives
consistent with international law;
-
Improving human capacity and institutional
development, with a particular focus on developing concrete
results-oriented actions of economic and technical
assistance and capacity building to ensure the balanced
advancement between economic and technical cooperation and
trade and investment liberalization and facilitation;
-
Cooperating with international
organizations with common goals in accordance with APEC
rules, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and
the International Labor Organization (ILO) without
duplication of the work undertaken by those organizations;
and
-
Supporting the World Trade Organization
(WTO) through trade facilitation measures.
IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN
In implementing these priorities, we
recognize the continuing work and action being undertaken
within the Working Group on all modes of transport and
infrastructure as well as their integration. Without limiting
the initiative of the Working Group, we direct it to give
particular focus to the following concrete actions:
-
Develop a roadmap consistent with APEC
principles, to be reported to Ministers six months before
our next meeting, describing the remaining work required for
reaching the Bogor Goals of trade liberalization and
facilitation as well as economic and technical assistance in
all modes of transportation;
-
Implement a road safety technical
assistance initiative to establish a model traffic safety
data collection and evaluation system to better target road
safety policies and strategies and combat road safety
hazards;
-
Support the continuing implementation of
maritime and aviation security measures, with emphasis on
the implementation of the International Ship
and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code);
working to support international efforts,
including those by multilateral agencies, to control access to
MANPADS and other potential threats to civil aviation;
Implement an intermodal supply chain security
initiative over the next two years;
Establish a web-based learning and technical
information exchange system; and establish a professional
exchange program to assist training and education and the
mobility of transport professionals;
Implement a Global Navigation Satellite
System test bed in all areas of the APEC region;
Implement arrangements for the structured
exchange of information among member economies on safety and
security best practices and measures;
Develop a proposal to support the secure
transport of dangerous goods, that would include an inventory
of economies' regimes pertaining to transportation of
dangerous goods and other appropriate actions;
Develop concrete and specific action plans to
carry forward economic and technical cooperation between APEC
developed economies and developing economies to assist in
establishing an efficient, safe, secure and environmentally
sustainable transportation system;
Enhance cooperation with the World Bank and
the Asian Development Bank, through appropriate APEC channels,
to improve member economies' transport infrastructure and the
capabilities of their transport professionals, including in
the area of international security commitments. We note the
existence of the APEC-Asian Development Bank (ADB) Regional
Trade and Financial Security Initiative in this regard; and
Implement our Leaders' directives with regard
to sustainable development.
We direct the TPT-WG, within the next 12
months, to take stock of the organization, activities and
business practices of the Working Group to identify approaches
and actions that will further support its ability to provide
concrete and productive advice to Ministers in support of the
Leaders' Declarations.
In addition, we instruct the TPT-WG to
continue its work in implementing the attached Operational
Plan with all deliberate speed, and to work with other
relevant APEC fora as appropriate in order to implement APEC
Leaders' and Ministers' Declarations.
CLOSING
REMARKS
We agreed to meet again in 2006. We instruct
the TPT-WG to provide a comprehensive report on its progress
towards implementation of our priorities six months before our
next Meeting.
We expressed appreciation to the Minister of
Indonesia for hosting this 4th APEC Transportation Ministerial
Meeting and for the warm hospitality provided. We also thank
the Chair for the efficient management of the meeting and the
APEC Secretariat for its supportive work.
