Brussels, 27/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - The Commission wants to get into the substance of the agreement and make progress in preparations for an initial exchange of offers on market access.
European and Japanese negotiators are meeting in Brussels this week for the fourth round of talks for a free-trade agreement between the EU and Japan, which were launched in April 2013. All chapters will be tackled this week: trade in goods (including market access and rules), technical obstacles and non-tariff measures, rules of origin, customs and trade facilitation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, services, investments, public procurement, intellectual property, sustainable development, competition policy, business environment and regulations, dispute settlement.
The third round of talks, held in late October 2013, focused on examining both sides' proposals on the draft text of the agreement. The talks are expected to take a more concrete turn this week. “We really need to get into the substance of the agreement and start working on drafting common provisions in as many chapters as possible”, commented the spokesperson to Commissioner Karel De Gucht, John Clancy, on the eve of the fourth round. The commissioner also hopes to make progress on preparations for the initial exchange of offers on market access.
In these negotiations, a strict parallel has been established between tariff liberalisation on the part of the EU and the lifting of Japan's non-tariff barriers. A revision clause provides for an assessment, in spring 2014, of the progress Tokyo has made on the non-tariff issues and a suspension of negotiations if this is insufficient. (EH/transl.fl)