The Presidency of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) held by Peru in 2024 is focused on people and seeks to “Empower, Include and Grow” among its member economies.
In light of this, a recent APEC Workshop on Export Entrepreneurship, held on Monday (26.02.2024) in the Peruvian city of Lima, marked a significant step towards improving the economic outlook for MSMEs within the region.
The workshop, organized by the administration of Peruvian customsSUNAT aimed to better equip customs administrations in the APEC region by increasing the economic empowerment of MSMEs in international trade and ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of progress and prosperity.
“The internationalization of MSMEs requires a multi-pronged approach, but customs agencies play a key role as we are the gateway for these products to enter and leave an economy,” he said. Blanca Barandiaran, Chair of the APEC Subcommittee on Customs Procedures.
“We need to make things easier and more accessible for entrepreneurs and small businesses in APEC so that they can unlock all the opportunities and benefits that globalization offers.”
APEC Customs administrations have been developing mechanisms and tools to simplify and facilitate access to trade through e-commerce and low-value shipments.
Measures for small businesses
This workshop delved into these programs that bring export facilitation tools to MSMEs or businesses operated by people with untapped economic potential.
Addressing his counterparts in the workshop, Luis Enrique Vera Castillo, National Superintendent of Customs and Tax Administration of Peru, highlighted the Peruvian program "Emprender Exportando" that provides training in specialized and personalized technical assistance to MSMEs on customs and tax issues to help them properly manage their businesses.
The program provides comprehensive support to MSMEs that wish to export their products, including identifying the best means of payment, use of brands, as well as advice on product packaging that best suits their customers, among others. Vera Castillo highlighted the importance of comprehensive support for MSMEs to ensure successful and lasting internationalization of these businesses.
El Representative of the Korean Customs Service, Chulhun Lee, presented an example of support centers for promotion exports that offer MSMEs training and consultations on free trade agreements, product recognition with certifications, in addition to granting low-interest loans and supporting the entry of MSMEs into global business centers.
El Director of Indonesian Customs Facilities, Padmoyo Tri Wikanto, presented a program of consultation on exports, which is available at all customs offices in the archipelago, providing MSMEs with assistance with export procedures, coordination with permit-issuing institutions and guidance on product standards.
Kristie McKinney, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, highlighted the agency's authorized economic operator program called Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT). The program was intended to ensure the security of international trade entering the United States. Being a member of the CTPAT program comes with the benefits of reduced examination fees and eligibility to participate in U.S. government programs.
The workshop also emphasized the need for a Strong inter-institutional collaboration and integration within an economy to ensure that SMEs are fully supported in exporting their products. This includes working with other agencies such as trade, export promotion and small and medium enterprises, tourism, intellectual property and even defence.
At the end of the workshopMartha Elba Garamendi Espinoza, Deputy National Superintendent of Customs of Peru, highlighted the need to create a favorable business environment for entrepreneurs and SMEs to export, through agile and innovative trade facilitation policies.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, better known by its acronym in English APEC, has been the bloc that has been trying to develop the economies of 1989 countries and territories in Asia and America bordering the Pacific Ocean since 21.
The economies that make up APEC are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.
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