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14 June 2017

POLITICO:日・EU(欧州連合)貿易協定、7月7日のG20首脳会議前の政治合意目指す


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Diplomats say the priority is to convene a leaders’ summit before the G20 in Hamburg on July 7.


Sources from five EU countries said the goal of the latest whirlwind of diplomatic activity is for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe to jet into Brussels for a summit July 5 or 6, ahead of a G20 summit in Hamburg on July 7. The intention is to reach a political deal covering more than 90 percent of a trade agreement, leaving only a handful of issues to be resolved later.

European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström wants to cast the EU as the new global leader in free trade, and a deal with the world’s third-biggest economy would issue a defiant counter-blast against U.S. President Donald Trump’s protectionist agenda. In recent remarks, Malmström called an accord with Tokyo her “main priority in the short term.”

Trade talks have entered a “decisive” phase of two or three weeks, diplomatic sources said, with a 19th round of negotiations scheduled for next week. EU chief negotiator Mauro Petriccione will be in Tokyo beforehand, laying vital groundwork for what diplomats hope will be a final heave toward the finish line.

Japan is the EU’s sixth-biggest trading partner, and the two parties posted total trade of about €125 billion last year. Between them, the EU and Japan represent nearly 30 percent of global gross domestic product. [...]

Full article on POLITICO



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