'APEC's 21 members account for around 44 percent of world trade, and have concluded over 40 intra-APEC free trade agreements,' the agreement said. 'However, businesses often don't take full advantage of these special trading arrangements because information on preferential tariffs and rules of origin can be difficult to find.'
'Business has told us that a lack of customs transparency is a major impediment to trade,' said Akihiko Tamura, convenor of APEC's market access group. 'APEC's new Web-based gateway helps lift this barrier by providing businesses with the information they need to better leverage the trade opportunities that exist in the region.'
