The Product and Service Councils (PSCs) were organized to promote greater business interaction among CACCI members who are in the same product or service line. They provide the members regular fora for identifying and addressing issues affecting their respective sectors, finding solutions to common problems, and working out specific programs to accelerate regional cooperation, particularly in the area of trade, technology transfer, capital flows and the exchange of information.
One unique aspect of the PSCs is that their membership is not confined to producers or providers of services. All those interested in the product or service line – manufacturers, traders, suppliers – are free to join. The rationale is to effectively make the PSC meetings a market place where business deals may also be initiated and completed.
Purpose and objectives
The primary objectives of the Product and Service Councils are:
To effect coordination and cooperation within the industry or specific service, in the promotion of regional cooperation and other objectives of CACCI;
To undertake or coordinate research and study for the identification of business opportunities for the pertinent product and service concerned that lend themselves to industrial and trade cooperation among Asia-Pacific countries;
To accelerate the growth and progress of the industry or service in the region through joint approaches, endeavors and action and to jointly recommend measures through CACCI channels for such improvement;
To promote closer relations among the businessmen of the region and to help build up confidence among each other for greater intra-Asia-Pacific trade and cooperation in dealing with non-Asian countries;
To establish and maintain close liaison and cooperation with regional and international organizations for the improvement of Asia-Pacific trade and industry; and
To improve the trading posture of the various Asian and Western Pacific products or commodities in international trade and initiate, encourage and coordinate harmonization of industrial development in the region.
Structure and composition
Product or Service Councils could be “loose arrangements” at the beginning but they are established with a view to having a strong solid organization later. By “loose arrangement” is meant that there is no need of formal registration with any government or of strict requirements in membership for its organization. However, they must have a working arrangement formalized in a document and subject to requirements by the parent or umbrella organization, the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), for recognition.
Ideally, a Product and Service Council should have for its members the national association(s) pertaining to the product or service concerned if existing. Where this is not so or possible, the firms most representative of the industry or business can be requested to choose their representative or appoint their correspondent. A Product or Service Council may be organized among individual firms concerned from at least three or more of the CACCI Primary Members.
Activities
The Product and Service Councils design their activi¬ties to fit their needs and to achieve their goals. Proj¬ects are supposed to be undertaken only after a sound and thorough analysis of their value and importance to their objectives and purposes is made.
The variety of activities of the Product and Service Councils is virtually unlimited, depending on the problems, the desire of members to update technology, to open up business opportunities and to do business on the spot.
