Commissioner Malmström and Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs confirm commitment for an early conclusion of EU-Japan FTA negotiations

The European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and Japan's Foreign Affairs Minister Fumio Kishida met on 17 February 2017 to discuss the way forward for the negotiation of a Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Japan.

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to reach a highly comprehensive and ambitious agreement as early as possible. The meeting also allowed for an exchange of views on some domestic reforms in Japan, and on their possible impact on the negotiating process calendar, as well as on the international situation and the perspectives for world trade.

Commissioner Malmström and Minister Kishida agreed that negotiations should continue without interruption and instructed their Chief Negotiators in this respect.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Japan: Economic indicators and trade with EU http://www.europeansources.info/record/japan-economic-indicators-and-trade-with-eu/

ESO: Background information: EU-Japan FTA would boost growth more than TTIP http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-japan-fta-would-boost-growth-more-than-ttip/

ESO: Background information: International Agreements in Progress: Prospective EU-Japan free trade agreement [EPRS Briefing, October 2016] http://www.europeansources.info/record/international-agreements-in-progress-prospective-eu-japan-free-trade-agreement/

EurActiv, 21.02.17: EU pushes for 2017 conclusion to free trade talks with Japan http://www.euractiv.com/section/all/news/eu-pushes-for-2017-conclusion-to-free-trade-talks-with-japan/

The Japan Times, 18.02.17: Japan, EU agree to push bilateral trade deal EU pushes for 2017 conclusion to free trade talks with Japan

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