Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)

1. The third meetings of the Commission and the Committee on Trade in Goods of the Agreement between Japan and the Republic of Chile for a Strategic Economic Partnership were held in Santiago, Chile, on January 15 and 16.

2. The meeting of the Commission was co-chaired by Mr. Yasushi Takase, Director-General of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and others on the Japanese side, and Mr. Pablo Urria, Director for Bilateral Economic Affairs, General Directorate for International Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others on the Chilean side.

Both sides appreciated that the trade and investment between the two countries have been expanded under a favorable operation of the Agreement. Furthermore, both sides exchanged opinions on their policies of economic partnership.

3. The meeting of the Committee on Trade in Goods was co-chaired by Mr. Tetsuya Otsuru, Director of South America Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and others on the Japanese side, and Ms. Constanza Alegría, Head of Market Access Department, General Directorate for International Economic Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others on the Chilean side.

Both sides discussed about the transposition process of HS Code for tariff schedules and rules of origin, and agreed to start negotiation on goods in accordance with the Article 14 of the Agreement.