What is Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation? APEC: Advancing Free
Trade for Asia-Pacific Prosperity More choices, more
opportunities, more jobs, and better standards of living. Learn
how APEC is making this a reality. Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation, or APEC, is the premier forum for facilitating
economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-
Pacific region. APEC is an intergovernmental grouping that
operates on the basis of non-binding commitments, open dialogue
and equal respect for the views of all participants. Unlike the
WTO or other multilateral trade bodies, APEC has no treaty
obligations required of its participants. Decisions made within
APEC are reached by consensus and commitments are undertaken on
a voluntary basis. APEC has 21 members - referred to as "member
economies" - which account for approximately 40 percent of the
world's population, approximately 55 percent of world GDP and
about 44 percent of world trade. APEC's 21 Member Economies are
Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada