EU/Japan EPA - UECBV welcomes EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) - press release
7 juillet 2017
UECBV welcomes EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)

The European Livestock and Meat Trades Union (UECBV) warmly welcomes the announcement of the EPA between the EU and Japan.
It is great news for the EU agri-food sector in general, and the beef and pork industry in particular, as the EPA contains all the ingredients for not only a consolidation of trade with Japan but also for further development, notably for EU beef.
Japan is already a key export market for the EU pork industry. The country absorbs nearly 400,000 t a year for a value of € 365 million. Thanks to the EPA, EU pork will enjoy a level playing field with other competitors that have already preferential arrangements with Japan or will have soon. Furthermore, exports of higher value added products will increase as there will be duty-free trade in processed meat.
UECBV recognises the promising opportunities for EU beef. Japan is the third largest beef importer worldwide, importing around 600,000 t a year. In more recent times, EU exporters have recommenced beef and beef co-product exports to Japan thanks to the elimination of the SPS barriers in the context of the EPA negotiation. UECBV is hopeful that the EPA will assist the EU beef and veal meat industry in developing the export as the import duty will fall from 38.5% to 9%, and the SPS barriers will continue to be dismantled.
All in all, while Japan will enjoy free access to the EU market for nearly all its agricultural products and food such as beef, the EPA will deliver trade benefits for the EU meat sector and contribute to grasping the opportunities in that dynamic Asia-Pacific region. It will also help the EU meat sector mitigate forthcoming challenges such as Brexit.
UECBV commends the outstanding role of the EU negotiators and more especially Phil Hogan who successfully closed the negotiation on the agriculture chapter by the end of last week. EU Commissioners Cecilia Malmström and Phil Hogan skilfully brought the negotiations to an agreement in principle, and have overall, delivered for EU Agri-food sector. As soon as the EPA is in force, hopefully in 2019 at the latest, the EU agri-food sector and meat industry will work to maximise all the potential of the deal.

ENDS

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For further information:
Jean-Luc Mériaux, Secretary General
Telephone: + 32 2 230 46 03, email: info@uecbv.eu
The European Livestock and Meat Trades Union (UECBV) is an EU association representing, in total, some 20,000 firms of all sizes and over 230,000 jobs are represented through its national member federations. The vast majority of these enterprises are small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
UECBV's core objective is to achieve an optimum business climate for the livestock and meat industry across the European Union and to strengthen the competitiveness of the industry as a whole. To achieve this goal the UECBV represents and defends the meat sector vis-à-vis the European Institutions, promotes EU trade and international trade, deepens the internal market and fights against competition distortions.

Please find also Copa and Cogeca, CELCAA and FoodDrinkEurope joint press release: HERE
As well as the EU Commission infographic on the agreement: Click HERE

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