Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Presidents and PMs, including Barack Obama and Xi Jinping, and their trade ministers met in Manilla in November 2015.

The work on Global Data Standards (GDS) pilots received full and formal support in a Joint Ministerial Statement. It explicitly mentions two Global Data Standards pilot projects leveraging GS1 standards and makes recommendation on how to promote wider use of Global Data Standards. GS1 Member Organisations in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Mexico, Peru, and the US, are playing an active role in developing these APEC GDS pilots.

GS1 together with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) is part of an initiative within APEC to further the use of industry standards in international supply chains, to improve efficiencies and safety. The initiative focuses on B2B efficiencies as well as improved Government processes through better access to data enabling visibility and risk management.

• Read full joint ministerial statement
• Find out more about APEC
• Find out more about GS1