2013/TWG42/008 Agenda Item: 7 APEC Travel Facilitation Initiative - Progress Report Purpose: Information Submitted by: Lead Shepherd 42 nd Tourism Working Group Meeting Solo, Indonesia 24-25 April 2013
1 APEC TRAVEL FACILITATION INITIATIVE PROGRESS REPORT January, 2013 APEC TFI REPORT 2 Steering Council Structure SOM Steering Comm. (SCE) Comm on Trade & Investment (CTI) TFI Coordinator Counter Terrorism Task Force (CTTF) Tourism Working Group (TWG) Transportation Working Group (TPTWG) Subcommittee on Custom Procedures (SCCP) Businss Mobility Group (BMG) TFI Program Lead Sub-fora In Cooperation/ Consultation with APEC Airport Partnership Program TPTWG, BMG SCCP TWG CTTF APEC Business Travel Card BMG Foster Network of Trusted Traveler Programs for Ports of Entry BMG SCCP Facilitation of Air Passenger Security Screening Advance Passenger Information Checked Baggage Facilitation TPTWG BMG TPTWG CTTF CTTF CTTF BMG SCCP 1
APEC TFI REPORT 3 TFI Steering Council Explore the value of holding a stakeholder s workshop of both public and private stakeholders during 2013. Provide an annual comprehensive update to SOM. Provide progress updates as requested. Increase communication via monthly conference calls and issuance of a activity reports to appropriate stakeholders 2013 Council Activity Objectives: Establish monthly Council meetings to monitor progress, update the Council and enhance coordination. Confirm project deliverables for TFI in 2015 to SOM Generate quarterly report for approved distribution across APEC. The Council held two working sessions during the January 2013. The objective of the first session was to: o Kick off 2013 o Introduction of the new TFI Coordinator. o Review prior meeting minutes to establish the frame for 2013. o Develop a plan for the Council s activity objectives for 2013. APEC TFI REPORT 4 Airport Partnership Program APEC seeks to convene a broad range of experts and private sector stakeholders where they can discuss with airports and other relevant stakeholders throughout the region to showcase best practices and build capacity on the efficient and secure processing of travelers for international departures and arrivals. This program is unique with the TFI in that involves all five sub-fora. Individual working groups will lead specific activities, e.g. BMG on immigration and entry processing, TPTWG on passenger screening, and SCCP on customs clearance. Develop and execute a survey by November 2013 to: o Identify sister airport programs. o Identify potential partners/stakeholders. o Review the scope of such partnerships. Council agreed to meet the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to brainstorm opportunities to leverage IATA s competencies and progress to date. TPTWG agreed to identify other associations such as Airport Council International (ACI) to gain knowledge and insight to potential resources and leverage technical opportunities. 2
APEC TFI REPORT 5 APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) APEC to underscore its support for ongoing efforts by the Business Mobility Group to enhance the ABTC program as a means to facilitating frequent business travel in the region. Trusted Traveler Programs APEC economies to explore and support development on a voluntary basis of trusted traveler programs for use at ports of entry across the Asia- Pacific region as part of the next generation efforts of travel facilitation. Such efforts to be led by the BMG and SCCP, in cooperation with the CTTF. Other relevant fora to be included as appropriate. Project proposal and questionnaire on developing APEC consensus on the characteristics for trusted traveler programs were approved by BMG. The BMG was in the process of providing responses to questionnaire. Next steps include presenting the survey results and beginning to draft the trusted traveler characteristics/vetting standards document. o Document could lead to workshops and pilot projects among interested APEC economies. APEC TFI REPORT 6 Facilitation of Air Passenger Security Screening APEC to undertake stepped-up cooperation to explore and address travel facilitation issues related to passenger security screening, with the goal of fostering technologies and approaches that can lead to a more efficient and secure travel system in the APEC region. These efforts will take into consideration the variation in capacity between developed and developing economies, seek to identify a range of solutions that could be used in varying circumstances across these economies, and foster capacity building cooperation among APEC members. These efforts to be led by BMG, with cooperation of CTTF. Address travel facilitation issues related to passenger security screening, fostering technologies and approaches that will increase travel efficiency and security in the APEC region. TPTWG will hold Low Cost/No Cost Security & Checkpoint Optimization Capabilities Workshop to leverage expertise across region and establish optimized checkpoint and travel facilitation. TPTWG Aviation Security Experts Group and CTTF to conduct workshop on canine training. Explore outreach to individual APEC economies and multilateral organizations such as International Civil Aviation Organization and World Customs Organization to gain insight to capacity building and facilitation initiatives. 3
APEC TFI REPORT 7 Advance Passenger Information (API) Identify the challenges APEC economies face in implementing API systems. This effort could lead to development of a lessons learned document, which could serve as the foundation for future capacity building activities for interested economies. At SOM 1 in 2013 in Jakarta, the revised questionnaire will be considered for approval. Next steps include economies responding to the questionnaire for commencing drafting a lessons learned document. Checked Baggage Facilitation In addition to facilitating travel of passengers, APEC could establish a publicprivate effort to explore ways to facilitate the delivery of checked baggage to passengers when they arrive at their final destination or (if applicable) for rechecking during transit, with specific focus on passengers who are members of port of entry trusted traveler programs. Thee effort to be led by the TPTWG, working with the private sector and potentially other APEC working groups such as the BMG and SCCP. Checked Baggage Facilitation Explore public-private effort to facilitate delivery of checked baggage or the rechecking of baggage during transit. TPTWG and CTTF to explore synergistic opportunities with IATA and their Simplifying the Business program. Establish a joint meeting between IATA and the Council to brainstorm opportunities to leverage IATA s competencies and progress to date. Identify other associations such as ACI to gain knowledge and insight to potential resource and technical leverage opportunities 8 4
9 Thank you 5