Press Releases
Telephone Talk between Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Dr. Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Trade
On December 8, commencing at 4:45 p.m. for approximately 7 minutes, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a telephone talk with Dr. Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Trade, and discussed the issues such as the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) (PDF)
negotiations. The overview of the telephone talk is as follows.
1. Japan and the EU shared the view that the negotiations on Japan-EU EPA are at the final stage, and Japan and the EU would continue to make utmost efforts to finalise the negotiations as early as possible.
2. Mr. Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan expressed that amid widening protectionist moves, the finalisation of negotiations demonstrates again the powerful political will of Japan and the EU (PDF) to continue to keep the flag of free trade waving high.