TENTATIVE AGENDA

APEC Symposium on Trade and Innovation

Date:19 May 2017

Venue: Daewoo hotel, Ha Noi, Viet Nam

Time / Schedule
8:00 – 8:30 / Registration
8:30 – 8:40 / Opening Remarks
Minister of Industry and Trade, Viet Nam (TBC)
8:40 – 9:30 /

Session 1: Recent Developments/Trends in Innovation: How Trade and Investment Affect Innovation Performance?

International trade and investment are considered to have significantly contributed to innovation by allowing a freer flow of technologies across borders, enhancing competitiveness and opening new markets. During this Session, speakers will share their experience and insights on the importance and impacts of trade and investment in promoting innovation through various means.

Moderator:

Speakers:

·  Ms. Pamela G. Bailey, CEO of Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), United States;
·  Mr. John Drummond, Head of the Trade in Services Division, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD);
Discussion (Question and Answer)
9:30 – 11:00 / Session 2: The Roles of Trade Policies and other Enablers of Innovation
Trade policies play an essential role in creating an environment that enables innovation. However, an open trade and investment climate is not a sufficient condition to trigger innovation. This Session addresses other important enablers of innovation such as financial markets, education systems, effective policies for research and development (R&D), efficient, science-based and internationally harmonized regulatory systems, and protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), taxation, etc. Speakers may also share good practices and case studies on trade policies’ and other enablers’ roles in innovation in various APEC economies.
Moderator:
Speakers:
·  Ms Monica Hardy Whaley, President, National Center for APEC, ABAC USA Alternate Member;
·  Mr. Joseph Damond, Executive Vice President of Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), United States;
·  Dr Zakri Abdul Hamid, Science Adviser to the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the UN Secretary-General, Co-Chair UN ESCAP STI Advisory Board, Malaysia;
·  Ms Caroline Atkinson, Head of Global policy Division, Google;
Discussion (Question and Answer)
11:00 – 11:15 / Tea Break
11:15 – 12:30 / Session 3: Technology Transfer and Commercialisation
Technology transfer and commercialization (TTC) occur via, both, formal and informal channels and are executed through the active participation and support of various individuals and organizations. Speakers will share experience, best practices, challenges or lessons learned from implementing TTC processes. In addition, APEC has established a bio-medical technology commercialization center and is training scientists and technology managers from all over the region how to value their IP and commercialize a discovery. This Session will also look at lessons learned from the APEC center and how they might be applied to other sectors.
Moderator:
Speakers:
·  Mr. Nares Damrongchai, CEO of TCELS; Thailand;
·  Mr Patrick van der Loo, Pfizer, APAC Emerging Markets Lead;
·  Ms Barbara Leppan, Business Development Manager, Plant & Food Research, New Zealand;
Discussion (Question and Answer)
12:30 – 14:00 / Lunch
14:00 – 14:30 / Session 4: Morning’s Wrap-up and Recommendations to Ministers
This Session will summarize key issues presented during the Morning Sessions and recommendations suggested by participants to Trade Ministers to lay the ground for the dialogue between Ministers and business representatives.
14:30 – 15:00 / Tea Break
15:00 – 16:30 / Session 5: Dialogue between Trade Ministers and the Business Community
During this Session, Ministers and business representatives will engage in discussion on:
1/ How trade and other policies can be used to help provide the enabling conditions for innovation?
2/ How governments can help promote the commercialisation of innovation in APEC economies, especially developing ones?
16:30 – 16:50 / MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) App Challenge Award Ceremory
The internet has dramatically lowered the costs of exporting - but MSMEs often don’t know how to start. The App Challenge will involve software developers from APEC economies coming to Ha Noi and, over the course of 24 hours (from 18 May 2017), building a mobile site or app that helps MSMEs and household export using the internet. The winners of the Challenge will be announced at the Symposium and APEC Ministers will present the awards to the winners.
16:50 – 17:00 / Closing remarks
Minister of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam (TBC)
End of Program