Press Release: Trade facilitation and security: Initialling of the Customs cooperation agreement with the Government of Japan

The Commission welcomes the initialling of the Customs cooperation agreement between the European Community and the Government of Japan, that took place on 5 June 2007 in Berlin in the margins of the EU-Japan Summit. The agreement aims at simplifying and harmonizing customs procedures for reliable operators and provides the means to fight against customs fraud and to exchange information on mutual assistance matters. This agreement is part of the EU external policy to cooperate on customs matters at international level with its largest trading partners. The European Community has already concluded agreements with the United States, Canada, Korea, Hong Kong, China and India. Both the European Community and Japan authorities have agreed to take the necessary measures towards a formal signature of the agreement in the coming months.