APEC’s annual Leader’s Meeting is hosted each year by a different member economy; 2011 is the United States’ first turn to host since the first meeting convened on Blake Island, Washington in 1993. APEC Summit 2011 will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii in December 2011.

The United States emphasized the importance of accelerating growth and creating jobs across the region by addressing specific concerns for improving the trade and investment environment.

As APEC host in 2011, the United States will prioritize concrete initiatives that build a “seamless regional economy” by achieving outcomes in specific priority areas, including:

1) strengthening regional economic integration and expanding trade;

2) promoting green growth;

3) expanding regulatory cooperation and advancing regulatory convergence.

“In 2011, APEC is tasked with strengthening economic integration by working to define, shape, and address the next generation trade and investment issues that should be included in 21st century trade agreements in the region, including a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP),” said US Senior Official Kurt Tong. “This will contribute to eliminating non-tariff barriers to trade and preventing new barriers from emerging.” The U.S. official also suggested that “APEC should adopt policies and regulations that foster innovation and promote the use of information and communication technologies, and advance structural reform objectives in APEC economies.”

“APEC has pledged to work to promote green growth and help our economies make a successful transition to a clean energy future. The United States aims to advance APEC’s work to address barriers to trade in environmental goods, including non-tariff measures related to advanced technology demonstration products, such as vehicles, as well as remanufactured and recycled goods,” Tong added.

“Addressing barriers related to technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment requirements is essential to lowering the costs of doing business and strengthening regional economic integration,” Tong concluded.