APEC was established in 1989 to promote economic cooperation across the Pacific Rim region. Originally opposed by ASEAN countries, APEC now has 21 member economies. In 1993, the first APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting was held and established the APEC Secretariat. APEC's goals are to achieve free and open trade between members by 2010 for developed economies and 2020 for developing ones. APEC focuses on trade and investment liberalization, business facilitation, and economic and technical cooperation.

1. APEC Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

2. APEC January 1989, Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke called for more effective economic cooperation across the Pacific Rim region. November 1989, Political members from 12 countries met in Canberra, Australia, hoping to promote prosperity through cooperation Countries within ASEAN (Association of Southest Asian Nations) were originally opposed to APEC, wanting to exclude the US, Australia and New Zealand.

3. The first APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting occurred in 1993, summit on Blake Island. The APEC Secretariat was established to coordinate the activities of the organization. 1994 Bogor Summit, APEC adopted the Bogor Goals that aimed to reduce trade tariffs to below five percent in the Asia-Pacific region 21 members to date:

4. Member economies & dates of accession

5. APEC

6. Members of APEC

7. Objectives Projects cover a range of beneficial activities for the region, from establishing channels for information exchange to assist business with trade and investment, to providing information technology training in developing economies.

8. GOALS Bogor Goals: free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific by 2010 for developed economies and 2020 for developing economies. Areas of cooperation. Three Pillars' of APEC, these are the areas of Trade and Invesment Liberalisation Business Facilitation, and Economic and Technical Cooperation

9. Failures and Achievements Initially opposed by countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which instead proposed the East Asia Economic Caucus, which would exclude countries such as the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The plan was opposed and strongly criticized by Japan and the United States. The first APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting occurred in 1993, when United States President Bill Clinton after discussions with the Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, invited the heads of government from member economies to a summit on Blake Island. He believed it would help bring the stalled Uruguay Round of trade talks on track.

10. At the summit, leaders called for continued reduction of barriers trade and investment, envisioning a community in the Asia-Pacific region that promotes prosperity through cooperation. The APEC Secretariat was established to coordinate the activities of the organization. In the summit of 1994 in Bogor, APEC adopted the Bogor Goals that aimed to reduce trade tariffs to below five percent in the Asia-Pacific region, by 2010 for industrialized economies and by 2020 for developing economies. In 1995, APEC established a business advisory body named the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), comprised of three business executives from each member economy.

11. Current issues Australia currently holds the APEC chair and is hosting ministerial and leaders' meetings in 2007. The United States works closely with APEC and sees it as an important part of U.S. engagement in the Asia-Pacific region. In the U.S. view, APEC is the most promising forum for achieving a more open regional economy, encouraging economic growth, and fostering prosperity and opportunity throughout the region. APEC remains America's primary vehicle for advancing both economic cooperation and trade and investment liberalization in the Asia-Pacific region.