EU and Japan trade deal welcomed by the EU Service industriesEuropean Services Forum (ESF)

The European Services Forum (ESF), representing the European service industries for international trade negotiations, welcomes the announcement of a political agreement in the EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.


Sir Thomas Harris, ESF Chairman, said:

“At this time where protectionism voices and actions are raising, it is more than welcomed that the EU and Japan have been able to conclude a political agreement for their bilateral trade deal. It is an encouraging signal that we hope will be taken into consideration by the G20 Leaders that will meet in Hamburg this weekend.”


Beyond traditional removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade, the agreement is also going deep into further liberalisation in services sectors, in particular financial services, business services, e- commerce, telecommunications and transport, in public procurement and in setting up mechanisms for regulatory cooperation that will tackle behind the borders issues.


“We still need to see the texts in the various sectors specific chapters related to services and are aware that there are some pending issues of importance to our industries. We want to congratulate the negotiators for the political deal reached today and will continue to work with the to ensure that a high degree of ambition will be enshrined into the deal” said Sir Harris

Contacts:
Pascal Kerneis
ESF Managing Director p.kerneis@esf.be
+32 476 321 027