Canada's Individual Action Plan (IAP)

All 21 APEC members maintain an Individual Action Plan (IAP). IAPs describe measures that each member economy plans to take in 15 specific areas in order to achieve APEC's goal of free and open trade and investment by 2010 for developed economies and 2020 for developing economies. Canada's IAP, as well of those from other economies from 1996 onward, can be found in electronic format at: http://www.apec-iap.org/ . (Use the "Browse" button at the top left of the screen to consult IAPs).

For convenience, we have listed below direct links to the full chapters of Canada's 2003 IAP:

Buying and Selling to/from Canada:

• Tariffs
• Non-Tariff Measures
• Implementation of WTO Obligations including Rules of Origin
• Government Procurement

Investing in Canada:

• Investment
• Services
• Business Services: Legal
• Business Services: Accounting
• Business Services: Architectural
• Business Services: Engineering
• Business Services: Other Professional Services
• Business Services: Other
• Communications Services: Postal
• Communications Services: Express Delivery
• Communications Services: Telecommunications
• Communications Services: Audio Visual
• Construction and Related Engineering Services
• Distribution Services
• Education Services
• Environment Services
• Financial Services
• Health Related and Social Services
• Tourism and Travel Related Services
• Recreational, Cultural and Sporting Services
• Transports Services: Maritime
• Transports Services: Air
• Transports Services: Rail
• Transports Services: Road
• Energy Services

Going to Canada:

• Mobility of Business People
• Customs Procedures

Canada's Legal and Regulatory Framework:

• Competition Policy
• Standards and Conformance
• Dispute Mediation
• Intellectual Property Rights
• Deregulation / Regulatory Review

APEC members also have Collective Action Plans (CAPs) that commit them, for example, to mutual recognition arrangements on standards, improved customs procedures and greater mobility for business persons. The CAPs seek to improve trade and investment flows by relieving importers of the need to have their products retested and recertified before selling their products in another APEC economy. Collective Action Plans also provide for rules to achieve greater transparency, co-operate in technical fields, collect and share information, and build capacity for managing a range of issues.