ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book overviews the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) structure focusing on the parts most relevant for foreign investment liberalisation. It provides a history of investment liberalisation in APEC from initial inclusion as an agenda item through to formal establishment of the APEC Trade and Investment Committee with a specific subcommittee – the investment experts group – devoted to pushing forward the liberalisation agenda. The chapter offers an assessment of the state of investment liberalisation in the APEC region in 2000. It discusses the economic and political constraints to further liberalisation in the APEC region. The chapter focuses on to a relatively neglected aspect of investment liberalisation in the APEC process – the issue of investment incentives. It also focuses on to the future with an examination of policy measures appropriate in a more liberalised investment environment.
