APEC Project Database

Project Title

Enhancement of the interoperability of ABTC platforms

Project Year

2025

Project Number

BMG_201_2025A

Project Session

Session 2

Project Type

Standard

Project Status

Project in Implementation

Project No.

BMG_201_2025A

Project Title

Enhancement of the interoperability of ABTC platforms

Project Status

Project in Implementation

Fund Account

APEC Support Fund

Sub-fund

ASF: General Fund

Project Year

2025

Project Session

Session 2

APEC Funding

143,535

Co-funding Amount

8,000

Total Project Value

151,535

Sponsoring Forum

Business Mobility Group (BMG)

Topics

Business Mobility and Mutual Recognition; Investment; Trade Facilitation

Committee

Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI)

Other Fora Involved

Other Non-APEC Stakeholders Involved

Proposing Economy(ies)

Japan

Co-Sponsoring Economies

New Zealand; Peru; Thailand

Expected Start Date

01/03/2026

Expected Completion Date

30/06/2027

Project Proponent Name 1

Keiko Futami

Job Title 1

Deputy Director

Organization 1

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Telephone 1

+81355018342

Email 1

keiko.futami@mofa.go.jp

Project Proponent Name 2

Mariko Sato

Job Title 2

Official

Organization 2

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Telephone 2

+81-3-5501-8342

Email 2

mariko.sato-2@mofa.go.jp

Declaration

Keiko Futami

Project Summary

The project aims to enhance the interoperability among the platforms of APEC economies for application, pre-clearance and issuance of APEC Business Travel Card "ABTC". It will add value to the efforts built through the past projects and discussions at BMG to promote the ABTC scheme.

Currently, the issuance of ABTC is basically operated through a two-step process, a domestic platform for application and pre-clearance, and the ABTC System for issuance. Errors and procedural issues prevail in the day-to-day operation, therefore enhanced collaboration among the officials and staff members of APEC economies, who are directly engaged in the operation is needed to deal with the issues in a more harmonized manner.

The project will conduct research to collect information on issues/hindrances as well as good practices, analyze it and provide recommendations. The project will also investigate supporting the case for direct, system-to-system integration between ABTC Core System and the domestic platforms of interested economies. Investing in integration will ultimately result in faster, more accurate and secure processing, improving outcomes for economies in the long term. Two workshops will be organized for the concerned officials and staff members. The first workshop is to learn the legal systems, ABTC platforms and issuance procedures, as well as security/data protection of other participating economies and exchange experiences. The second work shop is to discuss measures for improvement and the possibility of interoperability enhancement and harmonizing domestic regulations and procedures, if necessary.

The main objective of this project is to provide as many opportunities as possible (including online) for people who are engaged in the daily procedures for the clearance/issuance of ABTC. This comes from our deep concern that direct communication as well as communication platform among those people need to be largely strengthened in order to deepen their understanding on the ABTC platforms, daily issues of partner economies. We would like to strongly request to hold twice workshops in this respect.

Further the two-step workshop is necessary because of the expected synergy as follows;

(1) First, they need to have firm understanding of legal settings, ABTC platforms and daily issues of other economies, and then discuss possibility of improvement, solutions and launching a communication platform. This is expected to happen at SOM3 2026.

(2) Trial period of the said solutions and communication platform is needed between the first and second workshop.

(3) At the second workshop to be carried out at the end of 2026 or early 2027, they will discuss best practices and findings gained during the prial period. They will further discuss the possibility of integration of the ABTC system (if possible).

We are already gathering issues to be discussed during the WS (also analyzed before the WS) and they include quite a number and variety of issues so it is not feasible to deal with them all at once.

For instance; (1)Legal settings (laws/rules) and administrative procedures including personal information protection, the issuance ABTC, data security, (2)ABTC plat forms for the lodgement of data and clearance, including application, payment, verification, preclearance, unsuccessful application etc.. (3)Collaboration with business community, (4)Others including system trouble, work on statistics, collaboration with immigration etc.. The said issues are all very technical and take time to be well acknowledged, as well as in-person communication is indispensable.

The project will also put forward some considerations on the feasibility of the integration of the ABTC Core System and interested economies’ domestic platforms in future, including supporting the development of online lodgement to adopt a more secure, streamlined way of exchanging data between systems, one that eliminates duplication and reduces risk, where considered appropriate and possible.

Relevance

Region

The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) has been in operation since 1999 and well received by the business community as a useful tool to facilitate short-term business travel within the APEC region. The ABTC scheme has become one of the most significant achievements of APEC to further the connectivity thus to facilitate the trade and investment in the region. In 2021 virtual ABTC was launched, and it has been introduced by a number of fully participating economies that encourages the ABTC utilization to expand year by year.

Currently, the issuance of ABTC in fully participating members is basically operated through a two-step process, a domestic platform for application and pre-clearance, and the ABTC System for issuance. A variety of errors and procedural issues prevail in the day-to-day operation, partly due to the fact that these systems are not interconnected, and application/pre-clearance data need to be manually transferred to the ABTC System. Therefore, it is meaningful to enhance the collaboration among officials and staff members of APEC economies, who are directly engaged in the ABTC operation, and to provide opportunities for them to have better understanding on the systems/platforms of other economies, exchange experiences, good practices and discuss measures for improvement. With enhanced understanding and collaboration, related issues will be dealt with in more efficient and harmonized manner.

It may also be useful to give consideration on the future possible integration of the ABTC Core System and interested economies’ domestic platforms, including supporting the development of online lodgement to adopt a more secure, streamlined way of exchanging data between systems, one that eliminates duplication and reduces risk, if appropriate.

Eligibilty and Fund Priority

This project is qualified for ASF General Fund since it addresses the capacity-building needs in APEC’s priority area of mobility, connectivity by enhancing the efficiency of ABTC issuance procedures.

Capacity Building

This project will provide capacity building opportunities for officials and staff members of participating APEC economies, who are directly engaged in the day-to-day operation of the ABTC issuance procedures.

Through the project, in-person workshops will be organized two times throughout the project. The first workshop is to learn the legal systems, ABTC platforms and issuance procedure, as well as security/data protection of other participating economies, exchange experiences. The second workshop is to discuss measures for improvement and the possibility of interoperability enhancement.

Issues and good practices as well as recommendation identified through the research and workshops aiming to enhance the interoperability of platforms used in the ABTC scheme will be compiled as the final research report for the reference.

The outcomes of the project will be shared at Business Mobility Group (BMG) as well as at Committee for Trade and Investment (CTI) discussing, as appropriate, steps forward for possible future prospect of platform interoperability in the ABTC scheme.

Objectives

The project will conduct research on ABTC platforms of fully participating ABTC member and interested APEC economies including system errors and procedural issues prevailing in day-to-day operation of application, pre-clearance and issuance of ABTC. The research will be carried out through questionnaires and meetings (in- person and virtual) with officials, and ABTC users. The project will also investigate supporting the case for direct, system-to-system integration between the ABTC Core System and platforms of interested APEC members. Investing in integration will ultimately result in faster, more accurate and secure processing, improving outcomes for economies in the long term.

The project will also organize workshops (twice throughout the project : Please refer to page 2, number 3 for the necessity of two workshops. ) in which officials/staff members directly involved in the day-to-day operation of the system learn about the systems of other economies, exchange their experiences and discuss for further improvement. The findings of the workshops will be reflected in the final research report. Such opportunities will also enhance communication among member economies.

The study will also give consideration on the feasibility of integration of the ABTC System and the platforms of interested economies in the future, including supporting the development of online lodgement to adopt a more secure, streamlined way of exchanging data between systems, one that eliminates duplication and reduces risk, where it is considered appropriate and possible.

Alignment

Beneficiaries and Outputs

Output

1) Workshop Documents 'Preliminary Research and Report'

Methodology for the research>

＊Collecting data and information through interviews and questionnaires to;

(i)officials involved in the day-today operation of ABTC issuance, and (ii)business

entities/people who take use of ABTC, (iii)other scopes if found useful.＊

Analyzing the data and information collected

Highlights will be incorporated in the Output SN4 Final Research Report.

＊Chapter 1: Legal basis for the issuance of ABTC and its procedure

＊Chapter 2: Details of the ABTC platforms of all interested participating

economies including procedures for data lodgement and pre-clearance

＊Chapter 3: Findings through interviews and questionnaire to business entities

(ex. ABAC)

＊Chapter 4: Issues arising in day-to-day operation

＊Chapter 5: Analysis on data obtained and recommendations for solutions

2) 1st Workshop for 2 Days (In-Person)

The necessity of the two workshops has already been explained in Number 3 on page 2.

＊Concept paper for the workshop

＊Presentation documents

＊Discussion paper for the small group discussion

＊Session 1: Presentations on findings/particular features of the survey on the ABTC platforms

＊Session 2: Small group discussions aiming for participants to deepen

their

understanding on ABTC systems and operation of other economies. The topics for the discussion should include;

- Legal basis for ABTC issuance and ABTC

platform used in participating economies

- Procedure for data lodgement and pre-clearance

- Enhancement of security and data protection

- Improvement for interoperability among different ABTC platforms

＊Session 3: Identifying good practices and recommendation for improvement

＊Session 4: Tasks to be carried out by the second workshop

3) Interim Report

Findings of the first workshop

＊Analysis of the data collected

4) 2nd Workshop for 2 Days (In-Person)

Please refer to page 2, number 3 for the necessity of two workshops.

＊Concept paper for the workshop

＊Presentation documents

＊Discussion paper for the small group discussion

＊Session 1: Presentation on findings of the first workshop and steps forward

＊Session 2: Presentation of ABAC on the usage of ABTC

＊Session 3: Small group discussion aiming to identify solutions and

recommendation for the improvement of ABTC systems and issuance

operation. The topics of the discussion should include;

- Procedure for data lodgement and pre-clearance

- Security and data protection

- Improvement for interoperability among different ABTC platforms.

- Possible integration of the ABTC system and the platforms of interested economies

- Recommendation for better communication platform among economies (operation stuff)

＊Session 3: Identifying good practices and recommendations for

improvement

＊Session 4: Communication platform to be created among operation stuff of

participating economies

＊Session 5: Tasks to be carried out and step forward

5) Final Research Report - Research and Workshop Documents

＊Executive summary

＊Background of the ABTC system and past discussions

＊Preliminary research (survey); The

methodology used for the survey and its

findings

＊The summary of the first workshop and its outcomes

＊The research based on the first workshop and analysis on the data

collected

●The scope of the research is mainly the participants of the first WS and it is conducted through online hearing and questionnaire. This is to collect the information on the progress (issues and effective measures) regarding implementation of the communication platform as well as possible solutions proposed at the first workshop.

This information will be a core input to the second workshop where they will discuss identified good/best practices to enhance the ABTC operation.

＊The summary of the second workshop and its outcomes

＊Recommendations for direct, system-to-system integration between the

ABTC Core System and interested economies’ domestic platforms, as well

as for the feasibility of integration of the ABTC System in future.

Outcome

The project will provide participants with an opportunity to better understand the ABTC system and procedure of other economies and create an efficient communication platform among them. It will improve the efficiency of ABTC issuance operation as well as strengthen the safety and security of ABTC.

The project will help raise awareness of policy makers regarding the legal system and institutional arrangement for their ABTC scheme.

Participants will have more confidence on the possibility of integration of the ABTC system.

Beneficiaries

It is meaningful to participate in both the first and second workshops.

(1) Staff members/officials of all APEC economies, who are directly engaged in the day-to-day operation of the ABTC issuance procedures.

(2) Policy makers who are involved in the rule making including the legal systema and institutional arrangement for ABTC system.

(3) ABTC users will also benefit from the enhanced interoperability of the ABTC System/platforms.

Secondary beneficiaries will be ABTC users who will benefit from the enhanced interoperability of the ABTC System/ platforms.

Dissemination

Preliminary Research and Report (a minimum of 30 pages excluding annexes).

The final research report and other documents if necessary will be uploaded in the APEC website (BMG). The Final Research Report will be an APEC Publication.

Press release for the workshop will be made through the channels of APEC website, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and researcher's own website.

Gender

Please see Project Proposal in Supporting Documents folder.

Work Plan

Please see Project Proposal in Supporting Documents folder.

Risks

Please see Project Proposal in Supporting Documents folder.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Please see Project Proposal in Supporting Documents folder.

Linkages

(1) Non-APEC stakeholders including international think-tanks, private entities and international organizations will also be involved in the research and workshops if thought to be appropriate and possible.

(2) Performance Review Study of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Scheme.

(3) Cross-fora collaboration with ABTC (though the research and workshops).

Sustainability

(1) Final research paper will be uploaded and accessible on the APEC official website (BMG page) and serve as a key reference for policy makers, operation staff and other stakeholders.

(2) The ABTC scheme is the primary agenda of the BMG and it is expected to continue discussion on further enhancement of the scheme based on the outcome of this project.

Direct Labour

Please see Project Proposal in Supporting Documents folder.

Are there any supporting document attached?

Yes

Project No.
Project Title
Project Status
Fund Account
Sub-fund
Project Year
Project Session
APEC Funding
Co-funding Amount
Total Project Value
Sponsoring Forum
Topics
Committee
Other Fora Involved
Other Non-APEC Stakeholders Involved
Proposing Economy(ies)
Co-Sponsoring Economies
Expected Start Date
Expected Completion Date
Project Proponent Name 1
Job Title 1
Organization 1
Telephone 1
Email 1
Project Proponent Name 2
Job Title 2
Organization 2
Telephone 2
Email 2
Declaration
Project Summary
Relevance
Objectives
Alignment
Beneficiaries and Outputs
Dissemination
Gender
Work Plan
Risks
Monitoring and Evaluation
Linkages
Sustainability
Direct Labour
Are there any supporting document attached?
hdFldAdmin
Project Number
Previous Fora
Secretariat Comments
Reprogramming Notes
Consolidated QAF
Endorsement By Fora
PD Sign Off
Batch
Forum Priority
Committee Ranking Category
Committee Priority
PDM Priority
Priority Within Funding Category
Monitoring Report Received
Completion Report Received
PMU Field 1
PMU Field 2
PMU Field 3
On Behalf Of
Proposal Status
Originating Sub-Forum
Approval Status
Attachments

Content Type: Standard Proposal