EU – Japan Free Trade Agreement. A new EU trade agreement with Japan. Factsheet, July 2017

European Trade Commissioners Cecilia Malmström and Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan travelled to Japan for talks with Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Fumio Kishida and Agriculture Minister Yuji Yamamoto on the 30 June-1 July 2017. Negotiations on a free trade agreement with Japan, the fourth richest economy in the world by GDP, started four years ago and had entered their final stage.

After the talks European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström said that the EU and Japan was close to signing a political agreement on the trade deal on the 6 July 2017. It was confirmed on the 4 July 2017 in Brussels that a specially arranged EU-Japan Summit would take place in the city on the 6 July 2017

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Trade: Policy: In focus: EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/eu-japan-free-trade-agreement/

Politico, 01-02.07.17: EU, Japan close to agreement on trade deal http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-japan-close-to-agreement-on-trade-deal/

EurActiv, 30.06.17: Malmström in Tokyo to clinch trade deal in time for G20 http://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/malmstrom-in-tokyo-to-clinch-trade-deal-in-time-for-g20/

The Japan News, 02.07.17: Japan-EU EPA to hinge on leaders’ talks http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003796937

Reuters, 01.07.17: Japan, EU on cusp of free trade agreement after U.S. TPP rebuff https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-eu-trade-idUSKBN19M3MU

Bloomberg, 03.07.17: EU Expects Political Agreement on Japan Trade Accord This Week https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-03/eu-expects-political-agreement-on-japan-trade-accord-this-week

Politico, 05.07.17: Japanese leaders launch last push for trade deal in Brussels http://www.politico.eu/article/japanese-leaders-launch-last-push-for-trade-deal-in-brussels/

Politico, 05.07.17: EU and Japan hit back at protectionism with trade deal http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-and-japan-negotiators-seal-trade-agreement/

Politico, 06.07.17: Trump boosts free trade — outside the US http://www.politico.eu/article/trump-boosts-free-trade-outside-the-us/

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