Redefining APEC Early Voluntary Sectoral Liberalization in View of the Asian Crisis and the WTO

Early Voluntary Sectoral Liberalization (EVSL) is a step initiated by the APEC leaders to advance liberalization further. This paper analyzes the Philippine participation to APEC-EVSL in the light of the Asian Financial crisis. It discusses EVSL as a strategy to attain Bogor goals of free trade and investment and the relevance of the EVSL in the stir of the crisis. It also discusses the Philippine position and strategy in its participation to EVSL and the remaining issues that has to be addressed.