The summit between the European Union and Japan to be held on Tuesday 26 May is intended to enable the two economic powers to lay the foundations for a response to the global health crisis in line with their mutual values.
Measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic and their socio-economic impact will dominate the agenda of this first bilateral exchange since the health crisis, which will be attended by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the one hand, and the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe, on the other, via videoconference.
Committed, in plurilateral forums such as the G7 and G20, to a global and coordinated response to this crisis, the partners intend to imbue this response with common principles: multilateralism, fair and unfettered trade, international solidarity, sustainable development, democracy and transparency (see EUROPE 12458/13). This is an opportunity, according to a European source, to prevent global drift as a result of the crisis, while supporting a recovery model that includes elements of transition to climate neutrality and inclusive digital transformation. The meeting could also provide an opportunity to prepare for the G7 summit, scheduled for mid-June under the US Presidency.
Bilateral issues, in particular the implementation of the EU-Japan Strategic Partnership Agreement and the Economic Partnership Agreement (see EUROPE 12416/23), are likely to only be discussed superficially during this exchange, which should last for just an hour. The main aim will be to give them "a new impetus", according to one source. A summit in Tokyo this autumn should provide an opportunity to further develop these elements. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel with CG)