Free trade negotiators of Japan and the European Union (EU) have been looking into a possibility of holding a ministerial meeting between Japan’ Minister for Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida and his counterpart Cecilia Malmstrom, EU’s Commissioner for Trade, in Tokyo early February to seek for a final agreement at the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the Japan Agricultural News found.
EPA negotiation teams of the both sides have not yet reportedly bridged their gap in tariff cuttings on some agricultural and other products.
Meanwhile, there is a possibility that compromises would be made by the teams that are aiming at giving priority to an early broad agreement on EPA. Their negotiations are likely to enter a crucial phase for the second time.
Japan and EU had given up seeking the broad agreement by the end of the last year, because they did not agree to slash tariffs particularly on farm products and automobiles.
The EU’s negotiation team is aiming at reaching a settlement of the EPA negotiation as early as possibly, because EU will open a busy political calendar for 2017 with the Netherland’s general election on March 15.
According to informed sources, preparations have been made to organize a ministerial meeting between Japan and EU at Tokyo during the week starting on February 6.
The Japan-EU EPA negotiations aiming at a broad agreement are expected to move into a critical phase in early February.