Decision

6 December 2021: UK-Japan CEPA Committee on Trade in Goods – joint minutes

Updated 3 May 2024

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DVC, 6 December 2021

The first meeting of the Committee on Trade in Goods under the Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Japan for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership (Japan-UK CEPA) took place on 6 December 2021 by video-conference.

Japanese and UK participants had a fruitful exchange of views on matters related to Chapter 2 of the Japan-UK CEPA (Trade in Goods). Japan’s participants were from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA), Ministry of Finance (MOF), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The UK’s participants were from the Department for International Trade (DIT), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and British Embassy in Tokyo.

The enclosed meeting agenda was adopted.

The committee confirmed that it would work in line with the rules of procedure of the Joint Committee, which would apply mutatis mutandis.

The committee exchanged information and views on the evolution of bilateral trade in goods over the initial year of application of the Japan-UK CEPA. Both sides welcomed the fact that the latest data showed some positive signs of recovery from the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The committee reaffirmed the timeframe for the annual exchange of import statistics under Article 2.31 of the Japan-UK CEPA. The first exchange of statistics will take place in the second half of 2022. Experts from both sides will finalise discussions on the methodology of the preferential utilisation rate (PUR) calculation and the format of statistics in the first half of 2022.

The committee exchanged information on awareness-raising activities of the Japan-UK CEPA conducted by each side, and agreed on the importance of facilitating the utilisation of tariff preferences, including preferential import certificates, under the Japan-UK CEPA by economic operators.

The Japanese side explained the structure and the significance of the agricultural safeguard measure for race horses while the UK side explained the impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol on the Japan-UK CEPA.

Both sides confirmed that they would hold the next committee meeting hosted by the UK, in approximately one year.

Agenda

DVC, 6 December 2021

London and Tokyo

  1. Opening session:

    • Japan
    • UK

  2. Adoption of the agenda (Article 23.3.3(e))

  3. Adoption of the Rules of Procedure (Article 23.3.4)

  4. Trends in bilateral trade in goods

  5. Exchange of trade statistics

    a. Preparation for the exchange of trade statistics (Article 2.31)

    b. Preference Utilisation Rates (PUR)

    c. World Trade Organization notification

  6. Specific trade elements related to the implementation of Chapter 2 and Annex 2-A

    a. Raising awareness of the CEPA

    b. Agricultural safeguard for race horses

    c. The impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol on the CEPA

  7. Recap of the session

  8. Closing remarks (date and venue of the next meeting)

    • UK
    • Japan
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