EPA HELPDESK TO SUPPORT EU SMEs
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On 17 July 2018, the European Union and Japan signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the biggest trade agreement ever negotiated by the EU that will create an open trade zone covering over 600 million people. |
The agreement entered into force on Friday, 1 February 2019.
To raise awareness of the opportunities this agreement offers and to help EU SMEs take advantage of them, the EU-Japan Centre has launched an EPA Helpdesk to support and guide EU SMEs in their search for relevant information.
INFODESK
The EPA Helpdesk answers EPA-related queries. In case the answer is not be available in-house, the EU-Japan Centre will signpost to relevant existing online information.
EPA-related most common Q&As are available here.
You have a specifc question?
Please fill in the form here (be sure to mention the HS code of your product).
PUBLICATIONS & WEBINARS
The EPA Helpdesk publishes factsheets covering factual information about the changes brought by the EPA and organises related webinars.
During the webinar, participants are able to ask their questions to the experts.
WEBINARS CALENDAR (by date of event)
Topics | Links to factsheets | Links to past webinar recording or future webinar registration |
2021 SERIES | ||
Geographical Indications (GIs) | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Wines and Spirits & Beers | Factsheet: Spirits and Beers Factsheet: Wines |
Webinar recording Presentation |
Dairy Products | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Meat Products | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Processed Agricultural Products | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Tariff Rate Quotas | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Fruits and Vegetables | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Textiles | Factsheet | Date: 27 April 2021 Registration open here deadline 26 April 2021 |
Leather and Footwear Products | Factsheet | Date: 11 May 2021 Registration open here deadline 10 May 2021 |
Forestry Products | Factsheet | Date: 28 May 2021 Registration open here deadline 27 May 2021 |
Vehicles | Factsheet | Date: 15 June 2021 Registration open here deadline 14 June 2021 |
SME Chapter | Factsheet | Date: 29 June 2021 Registration open here deadline 28 June 2021 |
Rules of Origin 1 | None released | Date: 7 September 2021 Registration open here deadline 6 September 2021 |
Rules of Origin 2 | None released | Date: 23 November 2021 Registration open here deadline 22 November 2021 |
2020 SERIES | ||
Rules of Origin 1 | None released | Webinar recording Presentation |
Public Procurement | Factsheet Guideline |
Webinar recording Presentation |
Wine | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Spirits and Beers | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Geographical Indications (GIs) | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Dairy Products | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Meat Products | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Processed agricultural products (PAPs) | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Rules of Origin 2 | None released | Webinar recording Presentation |
Services & Domestic Regulations and Mutual Recognition Agreement | None released | Webinar recording Presentation |
Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Public Procurement & Healthcare | None released | Webinar recording Presentation |
Fruits & Vegetables | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Malt, Starches, Wheat Gluten and Egg Albumin | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Textiles and clothing | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Footwear and leather products | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Forestry products | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Services & Finances | Factsheet: crowdfunding Factsheet: blockchain Factsheet: payment |
Webinar recording Presentation |
Vehicles | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
SME Chapter | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Fisheries | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Services & Maritime Transport | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Services & Insurances | Factsheet: postal insurances Factsheet: life insurances Factsheet: non-life insurances Factsheet: reinsurance |
Webinar recording Presentation |
Rules of Origin 3 | None released | Webinar recording Presentation |
Telecom | Factsheet | Webinar recording Presentation |
Rules of Origin 4 | None released | Webinar recording Presentation |
ABOUT THE EPA
The EPA contains "a number of provisions that will simplify trade and investment procedures, reduce export and investment related costs and will therefore enable more small firms to do business in both markets. Among the expected benefits are increased transparency, less burdensome technical rules, compliance requirements, customs procedures and rules of origin, enhanced protection of intellectual property rights and geographical indications, better access to procurement tender procedures, as well as a special chapter to enable SMEs to maximise the benefits from the EPA". (Source: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the conclusion of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Japan - COM(2018) 192 final)
The EU-Japan EPA is expected to boost trade in goods and services and will create many opportunities for EU SMEs: tariffs on more than 90% of Japan's imports from the EU will be eliminated at entry into force of the EPA. This will affect a wide range of sectors covering agriculture and food products, industrial products (including textiles, clothing...), as well as forestry and fisheries. In addition, non-tariff barriers are expected to be substantially reduced for motor vehicles, medical devices, and the "quasi drugs" sectors. Finally the agreement will facilitate the export of services to the Japanese market and will affect a significant number of sectors from telecommunications to postal services and the financial sector.
USEFUL LINKS:
About the agreement:
http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/eu-japan-economic-partnership-agreement/
Market access database:
http://madb.europa.eu/madb/indexPubli.htm
http://madb.europa.eu/madb/fta_japan_overview.htm
Taxation and customs:
https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/international-affairs/international-customs-cooperation-mutual-administrative-assistance-agreements/japan_en
EU-Japan Trade:
http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/japan/
EU-Japan Cooperation:
https://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/international-aspects/cooperation-governments/eu-japan_en
Delegation of the European Union to Japan:
https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/japan/56981/eu-japan-economic-partnership-agreement-epa_en
Agri-Food trade statistics:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/food-farming-fisheries/farming/documents/agrifood-japan_en.pdf