EU and Japan finalise Economic Partnership Agreement

Further information:

The process of tying up the last details to finish the legal text was finalised, following the political agreement in principle reached during the EU-Japan Summit in July 2017.

It became the biggest bilateral trade agreement negotiated to date by the European Union. It removes the vast majority of duties paid by EU companies, it opens Japanese market to key EU agricultural exports and aims to increase opportunities in a range of sectors.

+ 24th EU-Japan Summit, 6 July 2017
+ Decision to publish EU-Japan trade negotiating directives, September 2017

The European Commissioner for Trade and Japan's Foreign Minister announced on 8 December 2017 the successful conclusions of the final discussions on the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

European Commission: Joint Statement by the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-17-5182_en.htm

Reuters, 08.12.17: EU, Japan conclude world's largest free trade agreement https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1E21BT

EurActiv, 21.11.17: EU-Japan free trade deal still pencilled in for end of 2017 https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/eu-japan-free-trade-deal-still-pencilled-in-for-end-of-2017/

EurActiv, 07.12.17: [Opinion] EU-Japan Relations: Time for a Boost https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/opinion/eu-japan-relations-time-for-a-boost/

BBC News, 08.12.17: EU agrees biggest free trade deal with Japan http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42282116

Radio Poland, 11.12.17: Poland set to benefit from EU-Japan trade deal: expert http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/339224

EP: EPRS: Briefing, October 2017: Japan and prospects for closer EU ties http://www.europeansources.info/record/japan-and-prospects-for-closer-eu-ties/

Japan: Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Countries and Regions: Japan-EU relations: Japan-EU Summit Telephone Talk, 08.12.17 http://www.mofa.go.jp/ecm/ie/page4e_000718.html

EP: EPRS: At a Glance, December 2017: EU-Japan trade deal finalised http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2017/614637/EPRS_ATA(2017)614637_EN.pdf

ECFR: Commentary, 29.01.18: EU-Japan partnership agreements herald new era of closer cooperation http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_eu_japan_partnership_agreements_herald_new_era_of_closer_coopera

---