Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)
The Fourth Meeting of the Japan-EU EPA Joint Committee
April 4, 2023
On April 4, the fourth meeting of the Japan-EU EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) Joint Committee was held in Brussels from 5:00 p.m. (Japan Standard Time) for about 50 minutes.
- The meeting was co-chaired by Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa and Mr. Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Executive Vice President of the European Commission for an Economy that Works for People, European Commissioner for Trade, and attended by officials of the two Governments.
- The discussion was held based on the agenda adopted by both sides to ensure proper and effective implementation of the Japan-EU EPA, which entered into force in February 2019.
The co-chairs confirmed the progress in the negotiations to include provisions on the free flow of data into the Japan-EU EPA, as well as the developments of cooperation on Geographical Indication (GI), Good Regulatory Practice, Government Procurement and Trade and Sustainable Development.
Minister Hayashi reiterated Japan's strong request for the early lifting of the EU’s import measures on Japanese food products. - Furthermore, both sides confirmed that close cooperation between Japan and the EU, which share fundamental values, is becoming increasingly important, at a time when the free and open international order based on the rule of law is challenged. Both sides also affirmed the importance of further collaboration among like-minded partners to challenges that the international community is facing in various fields, such as economic security.
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