Special Focus: Economic Partnership Agreement

Topics:

The EU dairy sector is the second biggest agricultural sector in the EU, representing more than 12 % of total agricultural output. While milk is produced in all Member States, farm and herd sizes, yields and types of farming vary widely across Europe, from free-range farming in Alpine areas to large specialised dairy farms in the north-west and centre of Europe.Regarding the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, tariffs currently applied to hard cheeses (up to 29.8%) will gradually be phased out to become zero for unlimited quantities as from 1 April 2033. To read more, please click on the link below: 

EPA & Cheese and Dairy Products

A geographical indication is a name used to identify a product as originating in the territory of a particular country, region or locality where its quality, reputation or other characteristic is linked to its geographical origin. The EU-Japan EPA foresees full protection for more than 200 EU GIs (foodstuffs, wines and spirits). The legal provisions guaranteeing this protection are of the same high level as those foreseen for wine and spirits products in Article 23 of the WTO TRIPS Agreement, but now extended to other agricultural products, including beers. To find out more, please see below: 

EPA & Geographical Indications

The meat sector is one of the most important in European Union agriculture. The European livestock sector is expected to benefit from world population and income growth, contributing to higher EU exports. Japan will phase out under the EPA its ad valorem duties for fresh, chilled and frozen pork cuts, and significantly reduce the level of the gate price and thus the specific duties which are applied in case of a non-respect of the gate price. For further reading, please click below: 

EPA & Meats

The EU-Japan EPA offers opportunities to EU businesses in the Japanese government procurement market on top of those already available for foreign companies under the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). Japan has agreed to further open its government tenders to EU companies and to commit itself to lessening barriers, which were perceived as hampering competition on a level playing field with Japanese companies. To read more, please see below: 

EPA & Public procurement

Origin is the ‘economic’ nationality of goods traded in commerce. It is the origin that determines the duties and taxes apply to a product when exported abroad. The EU-Japan EPA, which recently entered into force, has established new provisions regarding the Rules of Origins. It is necessary for EU companies to determine whether their products are considered sufficiently linked to their country to benefit from preferential rates of duties under the EU-Japan EPA. For further reading, click below: 

EPA & Rules of Origin

Beer is a drink that has been enjoyed in communities across Europe for several thousand years. Spirits drinks also have a long European heritage. Regarding the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, Japan already applies a zero Most Favoured Nation import duties for beer, as well as for a number of spirits (spirits obtained by distilling grapes, whiskies and fruit brandies). To find out more, please see below: 

EPA & Spirits and Beers

The European Union is the World leading producer of wine. Between 2013 and 2017, the average annual production was 168 million hectolitres. In 2017 it accounts for 44.3% of wine-growing areas, 56% of production, 54% of global consumption and 74.7% of exports in global terms. Regarding the EU-Japan EPA, Japan’s tariffs for EU wines have all been eliminated, at the entry into force of the Agreement on 01/02/2019.

EPA & Wine

Publications:

The aim of the factsheet "EPA & Geographical Indications" is to explain to EU exporters of products protected by EU geographical indications, the opportunities offered by the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement as regards such protection in Japan.  The EPA foresees full protection for more than 200 EU GIs (foodstuffs [including beers], wines and spirits). The legal provisions guaranteeing this protection are of the same high level as those foreseen for wine and spirits products in Article 23 of the WTO TRIPS Agreement, but now extended to other agricultural products, including beers. To access the report, please click below:

Factsheet: EPA & Geographical Indications

An information pack composed of a factsheet and a guideline has been published on the "EPA & Government Procurement". Although European firms already have access to the Japanese government procurement market, through the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), the EU-Japan EPA will provide additional opportunities to gain Japanese government contracts. Japan has agreed to further open its government tenders to EU companies and to commit itself to lessening barriers, which were perceived as hampering competition on a level playing field with Japanese companies. To read more, please click below:

Information Pack: EPA & Government Procurement

The aim of the factsheet "EPA & Wine" is to explain to EU wine exporters the market access opportunities offered by the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, and in a brief overview, the relevant Rules of Origin and import procedures in Japan. Japan’s tariffs for EU wines have all been eliminated, at the entry into force of the Agreement on 01/02/2019. Over time both sides will authorise most of current each other’s oenological practices (OPs). For further reading, please see below

 Factsheet: EPA & Wine

The aim of the factsheet "EPA and Spirits & Beer Products" is to explain to EU beer and spirits exporters the market access opportunities offered by the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and in a brief overview, the relevant Rules of Origin and import procedures in Japan. This factsheet takes a close look at the market access in Japan regarding the different types of spirits and beers. It then focuses on the Rules of Origin under the EPA for these spirits and beer products. To find our more, please clik on the following link: 

Factsheet: EPA and Spirits & Beer Products

The aim of the factsheet "EPA & Meat Products" is to explain to EU meat exporters the market access opportunities offered by the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement as well as, in a brief overview, the relevant Rules of Origin and import procedures in Japan. It focuses first on the bovine products, elaborating on the duties and the safeguard measures applied to the production. It then discusses pork products, explaining the gate price system for pork imports in Japan, and the related safeguards measures. Finally, this factsheet takes a close look at the processed meats and meat preparations within the EPA, and discusses the duties applied to poultry and horse meat. To read more, please click below: 

Factsheet: EPA & Meat Products

The factsheet "EPA & Dairy Products" takes a close look at the different types of preference in terms of tarrifs and quotas. It then gives further information about the liberalisation of exported cheese from the EU, and discusses the tarrif rate quotas for butter and skimmed milk powder within the EPA. Finally, this factsheet elaborates on the liberalisation of whey products, as gives information about other dairy products such as yoghurt, buttermilk, and non-concentrated milk. To find out more, please go below:

Factsheet: EPA & Dairy Products

Past Webinar:

The EU-Japan Economic partnership Agreement, will give European companies additional opportunities in Japan’s government or public procurement market. While European companies already have enjoyed access to Japanese government contracts under the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), the EPA builds upon the GPA and gives European companies additional access to procurement by Japanese government entities and extra assurances to compete with Japanese companies on a level playing field. To access the recording of our previews webinar on Government Procurement, please click on the following link:

Opportunities for European SMEs in Japan's Government Procurement Market