EU and Japan leaders give green light to landmark economic and strategic partnership agreements

Further information:

The Economic Partnership Agreement was seen as the most important bilateral trade agreement concluded by the European Union to date. It includes a specific commitment to the Paris climate agreement. 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.

The Strategic Partnership Agreement provides a legally binding framework for cooperation between the EU and Japan, and provides strategic direction and coherence to future common work. The Agreement covers bilateral issues but also regional and global challenges including climate change, security, disaster relief, science, technology and innocation, environment and energy.

The start of negotiations for these agreements was established in March 2013.

Leaders from Japan and the European Union reached on 6 July 2017 a political agreement in principle on two landmark agreements, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the Strategic Partnership Agreement.

The agreement was concluded during the 24th Summit between the European Union and Japan.

ESO: Background information: EU - Japan Free Trade Agreement. A new EU trade agreement with Japan. Factsheet, July 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-japan-free-trade-agreement-a-new-eu-trade-agreement-with-japan-factsheet-july-2017/

ESO: Background information: International Agreements in Progress: Prospective EU-Japan free trade agreement [EPRS Briefing, October 2016] http://www.europeansources.info/record/international-agreements-in-progress-prospective-eu-japan-free-trade-agreement/

European Commission: DG Communication: MEMO/17/1903, 06.07.17: Key elements of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-17-1903_en.htm

European Commission: DG Communication: IP/17/1902, 06.07.17: EU and Japan reach agreement in principle on Economic Partnership Agreement http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-1902_en.htm

BBC News, 06.07.17: EU and Japan reach free trade deal http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40520218

EU: EEAS: Press Release, 06.07.17: EU – Japan Strategic Partnership Agreement given green light at Summit in Brussels https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/29418/

EurActiv, 06.07.17: EU, Japan pledge to tie the trade knot within months http://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/eu-japan-pledge-to-tie-the-trade-knot-within-months/

EUObserver, 06.07.17: EU and Japan champion free trade ahead of G20 summit https://euobserver.com/economic/138453

Politico, 09.07.17: Japan PM Shinzo Abe says raising the ‘flag of free trade’ is vital http://www.politico.eu/article/japan-pm-shinzo-abe-says-raising-the-flag-of-free-trade-is-vital/

Politico, 07-11.07.17: Big in Japan: How the EU pulled off its largest trade deal http://www.politico.eu/article/big-in-japan-how-the-eu-pulled-off-its-largest-trade-deal-negotiations-tokyo-phil-hogan-cecilia-malmstrom-agriculture/

CAPX, 12.07.17: The EU-Japan agreement is a blow to protectionism – and Brexit https://capx.co/the-eu-japan-agreement-is-a-blow-to-protectionism-and-brexit/?omhide=true&utm_source=CapX+briefing&utm_campaign=101247ff29-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_06_05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b5017135a0-101247ff29-241786505

ECFR: Commentary, 14.07.17: EU-Japan Agreement: Good news on the long road to a deal http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_eu_japan_agreement_good_news_on_the_long_road_to_a_deal_7214

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 21.07.17: Trump’s protectionism could allow the EU to seize opportunities in key markets http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/07/21/eu-japan-trump-trade/

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