Third Round of EU-Japan Strategic Partnership Agreement negotiations concluded

EU News 434/2013

11 October 2013
Tokyo

The EU and Japan today concluded the third round of bilateral negotiations toward a Strategic Partnership Agreement. The talks were productive, advancing the text and usefully clarifying the understanding of the positions on each side. The next round of negotiations will be held in Brussels in January.

The EU negotiating team was led by Mr Viorel Isticioaia-Budura, managing director for Asia and the Pacific at the European External Action Service, while the Japanese side was headed Mr Koichi Hasegawa, deputy director general of the European Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso agreed with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in March to launch these negotiations to strengthen the bilateral partnership, in parallel to negotiations toward a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement.

For more information, please contact:

Mari Koseki                Tel: 03-5422-6034 Mari.Koseki@eeas.europa.eu
Miwako Suetsune       Tel: 03-5422-6035 / Miwako.Suetsune@eeas.europa.eu
Digital Media: Vicente J. Luna      Tel: 03-5422-6038 / Vicente.Luna-Ganuza@eeas.europa.eu

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