DPA participated in two APEC workshops focused on digital trade, services and structural reform: the APEC Workshop on Examining Measures that Affect Digital Trade in Services and the GOS: EC-GOS Joint Workshop on Services and Structural Reform.

Speaking to APEC officials working across digital policy and trade, DPA shared findings from its Oxford Economics research on how digital regulation affects startups and MSMEs, alongside practical experiences from DPA members across the region.

The discussions focused on how policymakers can pursue legitimate digital policy objectives while considering the compliance costs, regulatory uncertainty and growth challenges faced by smaller businesses. DPA also highlighted the importance of ensuring startup and MSME perspectives are represented in regional policy discussions as digital rules continue to evolve.