Agreement between the European Union and Japan for an Economic Partnership

Summary:

On 18 April 2018 the European Commission presented proposals on the signing and conclusion of the Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan. The Council of the European Union approved the signing of the Agreement on 6 July, and the formal signature took place on 17 July. The Council adopted a Decision on the conclusion of the Agreement on 20 December.

Further information:

In November 2012, the Council authorised the Commission to enter into negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Japan. The FTA was renamed the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) at the time of the conclusion of an agreement in principle in July 2017. The negotiations were finalised in December 2017 during the EU-Japan Summit.

Official

EUR-Lex: COM(2018)193: Proposal on the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Japan https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2018:193:FIN

EUR-Lex: COM(2018)192: Proposal on the conclusion of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Japan https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2018:192:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil-mobile/fiche-procedure/2018/0091(NLE)

European Commission: Press Release, 18/04/2018: European Commission proposes signature and conclusion of Japan and Singapore agreements http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-3325_en.htm

European Commission: Fact Sheet, 18/04/2018: Key elements of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-18-3326_en.htm

European Commission: Speech, 18/04/2018: Opening remarks by Vice-President Katainen and Commissioner Malmström on the outcome of negotiations for the Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan and the trade and investment agreements with Singapore http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-18-3425_en.htm

United Kingdom: Government: Speech, 29/06/2018: Minister Hollingbery supports EU-Japan EPA as foundation for UK deal https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/minister-hollingbery-supports-eu-japan-epa-as-foundation-for-uk-deal

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 06/07/2018: EU-Japan: Council adopts decision to sign trade agreement https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/07/06/eu-japan-council-adopts-decision-to-sign-trade-agreement/

EUR-Lex: Official Journal, L174, 10/07/2018: Decision (EU) 2018/966 on the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Japan https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2018.174.01.0001.01.ENG

European Commission: Press Release, 17/07/2018: EU and Japan sign Economic Partnership Agreement http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-4526_en.htm

EUR-Lex: Official Journal, L330, 27/12/2018: Decision (EU) 2018/1907 on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and Japan for an Economic Partnership https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2018.330.01.0001.01.ENG

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News

Reuters, 18/04/2018: EU pushes to hasten start of Japan trade deal https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1HP00A

Nikkei Asian Review, 19/04/2018: Japan-EU trade deal on track to take effect before Brexit https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-tensions/Japan-EU-trade-deal-on-track-to-take-effect-before-Brexit

BBC News, 17/07/2018: EU signs its biggest free trade deal with Japan https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44857317

The Guardian, 17/07/2018: Japan-EU trade deal 'light in darkness' amid Trump's protectionism https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/17/japan-eu-trade-deal-light-in-darkness-amid-trumps-protectionism

The Independent, 17/07/2018: EU and Japan say new trade deal is signal to the world that protectionism does not work https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/eu-trade-deal-japan-economic-partnership-brexit-protectionism-a8450816.html

Deutsche Welle, 17/07/2018: EU and Japan in record free trade deal https://p.dw.com/p/31cwM

Reuters, 17/07/2018: Japan, EU sign free trade pact amid worries about Trump https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1K714I

RFI, 17/07/2018: Japan-EU trade deal a free trade message to Trump http://en.rfi.fr/20180717-japan-europe-free-trade-deal-warning-trump

Swissinfo, 17/07/2018: Parliamentarians warn Swiss firms may lose out over Japan-EU trade deal https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/parliamentarians-warn-swiss-firms-may-lose-out-over-japan-eu-trade-deal/44263182

The Japan Times, 17/07/2018: Japan and the European Union complete trade deal accounting for 30 percent of world's GDP https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/07/17/business/japan-european-union-complete-trade-deal-accounting-30-percent-worlds-gdp/#.XC-B12ngqUk

The Guardian, 18/07/2018: What future for Britain as the EU strikes a trade deal with Japan? https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/18/what-future-for-britain-as-the-eu-strikes-a-trade-deal-with-japan

The Independent, 18/07/2018: Landmark Japan-EU trade deal puts UK under 'strong pressure' to protect British car industry, analysts suggest https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/japan-trade-deal-brexit-uk-car-manufacturing-european-union-nissan-honda-a8452091.html

EurActiv, 20/07/2018: EU-Japan trade deal first to carry Paris climate clause https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/eu-japan-trade-deal-first-to-carry-paris-climate-clause/

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Commentary and Analysis

United Kingdom: House of Commons: Library: Briefing Paper, June 2018: EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8340/CBP-8340.pdf

Handelsblatt, 03/07/2018: Europe's trade deal with Japan is self-defense https://global.handelsblatt.com/opinion/europe-trade-deal-japan-jefta-941343

EPRS: Study, September 2018: The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/603880/EXPO_STU(2018)603880_EN.pdf

LSE: EUROPP Blog, 16/02/2019: Why the EU-Japan trade deal matters for Brexit https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2019/02/16/why-the-eu-japan-trade-deal-matters-for-brexit/

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