2. Conference Participants 90+ participants from APEC and Non-APEC economies (guests from Colombia, Mongolia and the Netherlands); and non-ASC participants (Asian Development Bank Institute, Asia Pacific Rim Universities, and Elsevier) attended the 2-day forum 90+ participants from APEC and Non-APEC economies (guests from Colombia, Mongolia and the Netherlands); and non-ASC participants (Asian Development Bank Institute, Asia Pacific Rim Universities, and Elsevier) attended the 2-day forum It was noted that no participant from the following economies: 1) Brunei Darussalam, 2) Canada, 3) Chile, 4) Indonesia, 5) Malaysia and 6) Mexico. It was noted that no participant from the following economies: 1) Brunei Darussalam, 2) Canada, 3) Chile, 4) Indonesia, 5) Malaysia and 6) Mexico. Speakers from APEC’s Policy Support Unit were also invited to share their research outputs during the conference Speakers from APEC’s Policy Support Unit were also invited to share their research outputs during the conference

3. Opening Session Developing policies that promote inclusive growth Developing policies that promote inclusive growth Academic inputs and discussions are critical Academic inputs and discussions are critical Need for greater collaboration among governments, the private sector, the academe, and the civil society Need for greater collaboration among governments, the private sector, the academe, and the civil society APEC Study Centers APEC Study Centers Provide analytical work valuable in policymaking Provide analytical work valuable in policymaking ASCs are steadily gaining ground and will continue to do so with the support of the APEC Secretariat ASCs are steadily gaining ground and will continue to do so with the support of the APEC Secretariat The ASCC Program A total of 24 papers were presented covering a wide spectrum of issues, structured along the APEC 2015 priority agenda A total of 24 papers were presented covering a wide spectrum of issues, structured along the APEC 2015 priority agenda

4. Session 1 Enhancing the Regional Economic Integration: Pathways to FTAAP Supported the realization of FTAAP and highlighted APEC’s role as incubator of trade policy ideas Supported the realization of FTAAP and highlighted APEC’s role as incubator of trade policy ideas Upheld the formulation of FTAAP roadmap and discussed several pathways to realize FTAAP— i.e., building on and using regional agreements within APEC; negotiating fresh agreement Upheld the formulation of FTAAP roadmap and discussed several pathways to realize FTAAP— i.e., building on and using regional agreements within APEC; negotiating fresh agreement In whatever scenario, APEC should act as a breeding ground and mechanism for communication, exchange of best practices, and capacity building, among other things, under the context or principle of open regionalism In whatever scenario, APEC should act as a breeding ground and mechanism for communication, exchange of best practices, and capacity building, among other things, under the context or principle of open regionalism Any FTAAP pathways must include SMEs and establish ways to ensure greater SME participation Any FTAAP pathways must include SMEs and establish ways to ensure greater SME participation

5. Session 2 Enhancing the Regional Economic Integration: Connectivity through Services Affirmed the importance and role of services in the growth and evolution of APEC economies Affirmed the importance and role of services in the growth and evolution of APEC economies Services as a glue and facilitator of GVCs Services as a glue and facilitator of GVCs Despite the importance and reported benefits of services liberalization, the sector remains highly restrictive Despite the importance and reported benefits of services liberalization, the sector remains highly restrictive Economies which could benefit the most are also those with the highest levels of services restrictiveness Economies which could benefit the most are also those with the highest levels of services restrictiveness Services is relatively unknown and the uncertainty of introducing regulatory reforms contributes to the wave of protectionism among economies Services is relatively unknown and the uncertainty of introducing regulatory reforms contributes to the wave of protectionism among economies

6. Session 2 Enhancing the Regional Economic Integration: Connectivity through Services To better appreciate the link between manufacturing and services, and build up confidence over the associated need for regulatory reforms: To better appreciate the link between manufacturing and services, and build up confidence over the associated need for regulatory reforms: Encourage knowledge sharing and develop a knowledge community— fitting task/role for APEC as an incubator of innovative approaches to economic cooperation Encourage knowledge sharing and develop a knowledge community— fitting task/role for APEC as an incubator of innovative approaches to economic cooperation APEC to formulate its own version of service trade liberalization target under the context of FTAAP APEC to formulate its own version of service trade liberalization target under the context of FTAAP

7. Session 3 Enhancing the Regional Economic Integration: Trade and Investment Patterns and Supply Chain Connectivity REI benefits would depend largely on the volume and quality of trade and investment patterns, infrastructure, and connectivity in the region. REI benefits would depend largely on the volume and quality of trade and investment patterns, infrastructure, and connectivity in the region. Policies that promote investments and reduce transaction costs are crucial in attracting FDIs, as illustrated by the experiences of Thailand Vietnam Policies that promote investments and reduce transaction costs are crucial in attracting FDIs, as illustrated by the experiences of Thailand Vietnam Inability and failure to upgrade can confine economies in the wrong side of the supply chain and lead them in a state of middle-income trap Inability and failure to upgrade can confine economies in the wrong side of the supply chain and lead them in a state of middle-income trap

8. Session 4 Fostering SMEs’ Participation in the Regional and Global Economy (1/2) Regional economic integration that promotes inclusive economic growth will only succeed if there is an effective strategy for SMEs’ development. Regional economic integration that promotes inclusive economic growth will only succeed if there is an effective strategy for SMEs’ development. SMEs face difficulty in accessing formal credit: absence of credit data (information asymmetry); SMEs are perceived as ‘high risks’ SMEs face difficulty in accessing formal credit: absence of credit data (information asymmetry); SMEs are perceived as ‘high risks’ Could grow worse in an open financial market Could grow worse in an open financial market Disaster-related disruptions can have serious negative impact on SMEs Disaster-related disruptions can have serious negative impact on SMEs APEC countries are prone to intense natural disasters and only about 25 percent of SMEs in the region re-open following severe weather disturbance APEC countries are prone to intense natural disasters and only about 25 percent of SMEs in the region re-open following severe weather disturbance

9. Session 4 Fostering SMEs’ Participation in the Regional and Global Economy (2/2) Need for stronger financial cooperation and setting up of a credit rating system for SMEs; Need for stronger financial cooperation and setting up of a credit rating system for SMEs; Promote the integration of government Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) frameworks in local and concrete sectoral or business plans Promote the integration of government Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) frameworks in local and concrete sectoral or business plans Develop and implement a development and competitiveness indicators system which could aid in location decisions of firms Develop and implement a development and competitiveness indicators system which could aid in location decisions of firms

10. Session 5 Investing in Human Capital Development To further strengthen APEC’s Cooperative Measures in Human Resource Development, there is a need to foster academic and technical exchanges: To further strengthen APEC’s Cooperative Measures in Human Resource Development, there is a need to foster academic and technical exchanges: Create an APEC Network of Universities and similar initiatives Create an APEC Network of Universities and similar initiatives Establish an academic exchange visa for students and professors similar to the APEC business visa Establish an academic exchange visa for students and professors similar to the APEC business visa Affirmed the need to have skills comparability for greater intra-firm connectivity within the region: Affirmed the need to have skills comparability for greater intra-firm connectivity within the region: Establishment of the APEC Reference Qualification Framework Establishment of the APEC Reference Qualification Framework

11. Session 6 Building Sustainable and Resilient Communities Call to “strengthen the supervision of change” by capacitating leaders and adopting an integrated approach to the varied problems associated with climate change Call to “strengthen the supervision of change” by capacitating leaders and adopting an integrated approach to the varied problems associated with climate change More inter-sectoral and inter-agency collaboration, and more multidisciplinary research to understand climate change More inter-sectoral and inter-agency collaboration, and more multidisciplinary research to understand climate change Explored ways and policy strategies to manage disaster-related risks; insurance and other risk-sharing schemes offer some potential Explored ways and policy strategies to manage disaster-related risks; insurance and other risk-sharing schemes offer some potential APEC is likewise expected to contribute to the mitigation and prevention of the adverse effects of environmental degradation APEC is likewise expected to contribute to the mitigation and prevention of the adverse effects of environmental degradation Liberalization of environmental goods in the APEC list Liberalization of environmental goods in the APEC list Promotion of social enterprises (SEs) as an example of innovative business model that foster sustainable development Promotion of social enterprises (SEs) as an example of innovative business model that foster sustainable development

12. Administrative Issues: Focus on Mainstreaming the ASCC into the APEC Process Mainstream the ASCC into the APEC process Mainstream the ASCC into the APEC process Accord ASCC a guest/observer status in SOM meetings Accord ASCC a guest/observer status in SOM meetings Strengthen the existing ASCC mechanism Strengthen the existing ASCC mechanism Guest/observer in various APEC working groups, i.e. Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI), Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG) and other relevant APEC groups Guest/observer in various APEC working groups, i.e. Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI), Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG) and other relevant APEC groups Strengthen linkages between the ASCs and the APEC Policy Support Unit (PSU) by engaging the ASCs in APEC projects and exploring possible collaboration between the ASCs and the PSU in research studies/activities; Strengthen linkages between the ASCs and the APEC Policy Support Unit (PSU) by engaging the ASCs in APEC projects and exploring possible collaboration between the ASCs and the PSU in research studies/activities; Encourage respective economies APEC working groups to involve and tap ASCs researches to serve as inputs to APEC policy making process. Encourage respective economies APEC working groups to involve and tap ASCs researches to serve as inputs to APEC policy making process.

13. Thank you WEBSITES: www.ascc2015.org; www.pids.gov.phwww.ascc2015.org; www.pids.gov.ph FACEBOOK: facebook.com/PIDS.PHfacebook.com/PIDS.PH TWITTER: twitter.com/PIDS_PHtwitter.com/PIDS_PH EMAIL: anavarro@mail.pids.gov.ph@mail.pids.gov.ph To access the conference materials, visit: