There has been an inevitable shift in political priorities to deal with the global pandemic, including measures to address ongoing pressures on health systems, as well as economic recovery measures that will continue long after the worst outbreak in their respective countries. However, as noted in the introduction, there is no indication to date that any of the parties has decided to withdraw from any aspect of the SPA. Nevertheless, a challenge remains if each party can motivate the agreement beyond its initial priority. [5] See EIB expands partnership with Japanese JICA; European Investment Bank (EIB), 27 September 2019. The EU-Japan partnership should continue to function effectively during this crisis, and some of the following examples show how this is already happening. The EU and Japan are in close contact, including on communication at ministerial level, to exchange information on COVID-19. In addition, both sides maintain the momentum of policy coordination for other ongoing global challenges through virtual communication. For example, on 1 April 2020, a senior officials` meeting was held to discuss biodiversity and the circular economy in preparation for COP15 of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in October 2020 and the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA5) in February 2021. The objective of the Connectivity Partnership is described as cooperation in all dimensions of connectivity, including digital, transport, energy and people-to-people exchanges, taking into account the partner`s needs, budgetary capacity and debt sustainability.
The document also outlines the following principles for joint action in the development of connectivity: openness, transparency, inclusiveness and a level playing field for stakeholders, as well as respect for investment in G20 quality infrastructure. At the same time, the Parties commit to the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change. More concrete measures and specific sectors are partly identified in the documents, such as the digital economy, transport connectivity, hydrogen, fuel cells, regulation of electricity markets and the global liquefied natural gas market, people-to-people exchanges between institutions in the higher education and research sectors, and cooperation between State financial institutions. The EU has negotiated an Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan. Initially, Japan only wanted a free trade agreement, while the EU called for a political framework agreement. Parallel negotiations started in April 2013 and the two sides signed the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) on 17 July 2018. The EPA entered into force on 1 February 2019. The first year of implementation of the EPA resulted in a 6.6% increase in EU exports to Japan compared to the same period last year, when Japanese exports to Europe increased by 6.3%. On the other hand, the SPA has not yet entered into force as it needs to be ratified not only by the EU and Japan, but also by the EU Member States. However, the majority of the SPA has already been applied provisionally.
Firstly, the agreement aims to establish deeper and lasting cooperation based on common values and principles, rather than focusing only on more specific results in specific areas over a short period of time. The SPA clearly identifies democracy, the rule of law, human rights and freedoms as common fundamental values. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking at the EU-Asia Connectivity Forum in September 2019, said that “our SPA has made us the guardians of universal values,” he added; “We take responsibility for carefully examining and putting into practice the types of governance that are desirable and, if we want to establish rules, what we should establish.” So far, six important agreements have been concluded between the EU and Japan. In July 2018, Japan and the EU signed both the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA). The two agreements have been described as officially ushering in a new era of enhanced cooperation and global leadership between the two normative powers. To understand the importance of this collaboration, ISDP asked three authors to discuss the effectiveness of the two agreements so far and what we can expect from the strengthened partnership, especially at a time when the world is facing a global pandemic and an impending economic recession. Economic and industrial cooperation in a way that motivates complementary strategies and achieves synergies is another key area of connectivity partnership. Much should be done to create visible projects in priority areas such as digital connectivity and hydrogen research. These two areas require careful coordination of the legal framework, the joint promotion of technological innovation and the implementation of supply chains. As regards digital connectivity, there should be an urgent debate on cybersecurity and data protection, where it could be useful to exchange views through knowledge sharing, including 5G issues. For this like-minded partnership, it would be possible to manage the digital economy, as cybersecurity and data protection regulations cover important issues such as human rights and individual freedoms.
The EU-Japan Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA) is also back on the agenda, but within borders. The agreement – which has sometimes been on the agenda of the EU and Japan over the past three to five years – would provide the legal framework for Japan`s institutionalised contributions to the EU`s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions. However, EU sources warn that the deal still has a long way to go before it is ready to be adopted, as the EU and Japan still disagree on the terms and modus operandi of Japan Self-Defense Forces (CDF) contributions to CSDP missions. It remains to be seen whether and when the JPA will make it one of the “flagships” of EU-Japan COOPERATION. That said, even if Tokyo never reaches this level, it can still (as it currently does) contribute to EU CSDP missions. Without the JPA, the EU and Japan do not legally carry out “joint missions”, but engage in what Brussels calls “parallel coordinated action”. Japan has contributed to EU civilian CSDP missions on several occasions in the past, including in Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger. Finally, Tokyo recently sent a Japanese military attaché to the Japanese EU delegation in Brussels. This is symbolically important because a Japanese SDF officer can exchange information and data with his counterparts in EU member states. If Brussels and Tokyo are to have a lasting impact on international politics and security, these dialogues must be followed by joint political action in the not too distant future. The plan for “EU security cooperation in and with Asia”, of which Japan will be an important partner, if not the central partner[7], is undoubtedly a step in the right direction in terms of concrete and concerted action. The EU and Japan meet regularly to discuss issues and best practices in the implementation of the agreement.
On 26 June 2018, the Council of the EU approved the signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreement on behalf of the EU. The SPA was signed by the EU and Japan at the 25th EU-Japan Summit in Tokyo on 17 July 2018. The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement was also signed in Tokyo on 17 July 2018. Thank you for your questions and comments. The Strategic Partnership Agreement and the Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and Japan contain several provisions on environmental protection. (See,) Both agreements offer possibilities and legal bases for achieving environmental protection. However, it is necessary for the EU and Japan to be willing to make use of these provisions. In particular, the provisions of the SPA oblige the parties to promote cooperation between the EU and Japan, not concrete measures.
It has been widely reported that the EU is struggling to work together in the fight against COVID-19. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said in an interview with the BBC that the European Union must rise to the challenge of its biggest test since World War II, adding that the Union risks failing as a project in the coronavirus crisis. However, after tough coordination negotiations in Brussels, the EU managed to announce a €500 billion bailout for member states on 10 April 2020. The EU-Japan partnership, strengthened by the implementation of two landmark agreements, namely the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA), is also facing its first challenge as the partnership is put to the test in the context of this unprecedented global crisis linked to the coronavirus pandemic. The EU and Japan share the view that the world faces challenges that threaten to jeopardise a rules-based international order focused on democracy and freedom. The aim of the agreement is to create a legal basis for joint action to address global challenges as like-minded partners. The newly launched partnership is also in line with each party`s national agenda. Japan has been advancing its Free and Open Indo-Pacific Initiative (FOIP) since 2016 under the leadership of Prime Minister Abe and aims to develop a free and open Indo-Pacific region by ensuring a rules-based international order to promote peace, stability and prosperity for all countries in the region. In parallel with the SPA negotiations, the EU and its EU countries held a meeting on 29 September. Negotiations on an Economic Partnership Agreement with Japan started in November 2012.
These started in April 2013 and the content of the first bilateral framework agreement between the EU and Japan was concluded in April 2018. .