Version for the visually impaired
APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC)
ABAC was established by the APEC Leaders in November 1995 to provide cooperation between the forum and APEC business community. The ABAC`s main aim is the elaboration of proposals for strengthening cooperation and recommendations on APEC decisions implementation affecting the business.
ABAC comprises of up to three members of the private sector from each economy. ABAC members are appointed by their respective leaders, and represent a range of business sectors, including small and medium enterprises. The economy determines the term of membership of each appointee as well as its own administrative arrangements and staff support. The ABAC International Secretariat based in Manila (Philippines). Funding is provided through a system of annual dues, which are structured to reflect the size of each economy, following the APEC formula. The Chair of ABAC comes from the economy that is hosting APEC.
Within ABAC a few working groups are operating. For example, to carry forward the work program for 2018, ABAC has established the working groups on regional economic integration (REIWG), sustainable development (SDWG), MSME & entrepreneurship (MSMEEWG), finance & economics (FEWG), and digital and innovation (DIWG).
Annually ABAC prepares the report to the APEC Economic Leaders which releases on the eve of the APEC summit.
On the fields of the summits the informal meetings between the APEC Leaders and ABAC members are held.
Russia`s participation in ABAC
Russia`s representatives and their deputies in ABAC are appointed by the Russian President`s decree for three years. The companies cover the ABAC participation costs, including membership fees, by themselves.
In 2016-2018 Russia are represented in ABAC by:
Oleg Deripaska, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Basic Element
Kirill Dmitriev, CEO, Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)
Andrey Kostin, President and Chairman of the Management Board, Member of the Supervisory Council, VTB Bank
The deputy representatives are:
Victor Lysechko, Head of International Department, Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)
Georgy Oganov, Advisor to CEO, Member of Executive Board, Basic Element
Vasily Titov, First Deputy President and Chairman of the Management Board, VTB Bank
Additions:
ABTC permits to visit the following economies: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Viet Nam.
The US and Canada have not fully joined the scheme, but ABTC holders can bypass the normal customs and immigration lanes in these countries.
An ABTC holder doesn`t need to apply for a business visa to visit the countries participating in the scheme. The application for ABTC could be considered as an application for a visa.
Before application for ABTC an applicant should define five first-priority countries he intends to visit.
ABTC`s validity is five years from the issue date.
ABTC is issued by the Russian MFA Consulate Department.
The procedure of applying for the card
For receiving the card an applicant should:
Fill in the form (each form should be submitted in a plastic file in A4 format);
Attach a photo (60x40mm, colour, on glareless paper with light background, not less than 600 dpi) and a copy of passport page with personal details (passport` validity should be not less than 40 months);
Prepare a letter to Mr. Sergey Krasilnikov, RSPP Vice President - Managing Director for International Relations and Integration, explaining the necessity of obtaining the ABTC;
Submit the full package of documents to the RSPP International Relations Department (contact person: Ms. Anna Gubina, tel: +7 (495) 663-04-04 ext. 1232, e-mail: GubinaAV@rspp.ru). Please arrange your visit date and time beforehand by email or phone.
In case of application adoption, RSPP Administration Department passes the documents to the MFA Consulate Department.
After receiving the documents the MFA Consulate Department adds the information to the special APEC database. Please note that a waiting time for issuing a card is up to three months.
For having a permission to use the ABTC to enter Australia an additional form should be filled (doc., pdf).
The filled form should be sent to immigration.belgrade@dfat.gov.au after the ABTC process starts (documents are received by the Russian MFA).
If you don`t need the ABTC to have effect on the territory of Australia, you could send a denial in a free form in English to immigration.belgrade@dfat.gov.au.
A denial should be sent by an applicant itself.
An example (in English)
You could also inform your partners in the APEC economies that according to the Russian Presidential Decree #777 of 05.06.2012 “On the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Holders` Entry and Departure from the Russian Federation” they could receive cards in their countries and entry Russia on the ground of a card and an identity document.
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC) official web-page: www.apec.org.