The secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum, Greg Urwin, says Pacific trade ministers now meeting in Port Vila will discuss moving beyond the current arrangements for closer economic relations, or PACER.
He says they will discuss a more comprehensive free trade agreement, or PACER-Plus as it has become known.
Mr Urwin says this sends a real signal that Pacific countries are committed to increasing trade and integration, and they recognise the benefits this would bring.
But he says it is necessary that any measures adopted are appropriately sequenced, and that the efforts at trade liberalisation actively contribute to the region's broader development objectives.
