[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 66 (Wednesday, April 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16913-16914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8425]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Request for Comments on the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation 
(APEC) Electronic Commerce Steering Group Work Plan

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce/International Trade Administration 
(DOC/ITA) seeks comment on the APEC Electronic Commerce Steering Group 
work program.

DATES: Comments are due no later than April 21, 1999.


[[Page 16914]]


ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by e-mail to the following e-mail 
address <[email protected]>. All e-mail submissions should 
include the following text in the subject line of the message: ``APEC 
Electronic Commerce Steering Group work plan--Comment.'' The body of 
the message should indicate the name and affiliation of the 
correspondent and the name and version of the word processing program 
used to create the document. Files compatible with the Windows versions 
of MS Word or WordPerfect word processing programs are preferred. 
Otherwise, please submit comments in ASCII text format. To enable 
prompt review and accessibility to the public, DOC/ITA prefers 
submission of comments in electronic form by e-mail.
    DOC/ITA will accept comments submitted on 3\1/2\ inch floppy disc. 
The disc label should include the name and affiliation of the 
correspondent and the name and version of the word processing program 
used to create the document. DOC/ITA will also accept comments 
submitted in hard copy. Individuals or organizations that submit 
comments in hard copy must provide twenty (20) copies. Discs and hard 
copy comments must be submitted to Sabrina Montes, Office of Trade and 
Economic Analysis, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department 
of Commerce, HCHB Stop 2815, 14th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20230. Tel.: 202-482-5242. Fax: 202-482-4614.
    If the submission contains business confidential information, a 
justification as to why the information contained in the submission 
should be treated confidentially must be included in the submission. 
Submissions containing business confidential information must be 
clearly marked ``Confidential'' at the top and bottom of the cover page 
(or letter) and each page of the submission. A version that does not 
contain confidential information should also be submitted and clearly 
marked ``public version'' at the top and bottom of each page.
    Comments should clearly state the position taken and should 
describe the specific information supporting that position. Comments 
must be made in English. All submissions should include the name and 
affiliation of the correspondent.
    Written comments submitted in connection with this request, except 
for information that is business confidential, will be available for 
public inspection on the Internet at <http://infoserv2.ita.doc.gov/
otea/apec/fedreg.nsf> or in hard copy at the U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 14th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230. 
An appointment to review the file may be made by calling Sabrina 
Montes, Office of Trade and Economic Analysis, International Trade 
Administration, Tel.: 202-482-5242.
    Respondents that provide an e-mail address with their submission 
will be added to an e-mail list for future information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Menes, Director Office of 
Trade and Economic Analysis/Co-Chair APEC Electronic Commerce Steering 
Group (202-482-5145).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In Vancouver, November 1997, Leaders of APEC 
member economies brought the importance of electronic commerce to the 
fore by directing Ministers to

undertake a work program on electronic commerce in the region, 
taking into account relevant activities of other international fora, 
and to report to us in Kuala Lumpur. This initiative should 
recognize the leading role of the business sector and promote a 
predictable and consistent legal and regulatory environment that 
enables all APEC economies to reap the benefits of electronic 
commerce.

    In November 1998, the APEC Ministers approved a Blueprint for 
Action on electronic commerce that sets out a framework for electronic 
commerce in APEC, outlines a work plan, and establishes a steering 
group to coordinate electronic commerce activities within APEC fora and 
to implement the Blueprint work program. The Steering Group membership 
consists of representatives from all APEC economies. The Steering Group 
will involve relevant APEC working groups and sub-fora, as well as 
business sector experts in accordance with APEC guidelines on business 
participation.
    DOC/ITA seeks comment on the APEC Electronic Commerce Steering 
Group work program, which is outlined in the Blueprint for Action on 
electronic commerce <http://www.dfat.gov.au/apec/ecom/>.
    The Blueprint for Action on electronic commerce advocates that APEC 
economies ``endeavor to work together to build trust and confidence; 
enhance government use [of electronic commerce]; intensify community 
outreach; promote technical cooperation and experience exchange; where 
appropriate, work toward eliminating impediments to its uptake; and 
develop seamless legal, technical, operating and trading environments 
to facilitate the growth and development of electronic commerce.''
    Specific initiatives identified in the work program include:
     Developing measures and indicators of the uptake, use, and 
flows of e-commerce;
     Assessing impediments to economic commerce in APEC and 
reviewing the economic costs that inhibit electronic commerce, 
including those imposed by regulatory or market conditions;
     Working on the financial aspects of electronic commerce;
     Expanding a case history database to facilitate and 
support electronic commerce activities by small and medium enterprises 
(SMEs), government, and business/public sector partnerships;
     Exploring economic and technical cooperation to facilitate 
the uptake, use, and maximization of the benefits of electronic 
commerce in APEC member economies;
     Tasking authentication experts, including business sector 
experts, to study the range of business models for electronic 
authentication. This work should include examining the potential role 
of mechanisms, such as cross-certification and the use of a root 
certification authority, to promote inter-operability and trust and to 
facilitate cross-border electronic commerce;
     Working with UNCITRAL and other international fora to 
advance, where appropriate, the work on the legal foundations for a 
seamless system of cross-border electronic commerce;
     Establishing APEC electronic virtual commerce/multimedia 
resource network; and
     Developing paperless trading by 2005, if possible.
    Work in many of these areas is already underway in various APEC 
fora, including the Telecommunications Working Group, the 
Transportation Working Group, the Industrial Science and Technology 
Working Group, and the Committee on Trade and Investment and its 
subcommittee on Customs Procedures.

    Dated: March 29, 1999.
Jonathan C. Menes,
Director, Office of Trade and Economic Analysis, Co-Chair APEC 
Electronic Commerce Steering Group, International Trade Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 99-8425 Filed 4-6-99; 8:45 am]
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