EU-Japan partnership: the Council of the European Union approves agreement

Brussels – A first step to strengthen cooperation between the EU and Japan: today (April 22), the EU Council of Ministers adopted the conclusion on the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) between the European Union and Japan. Today’s decision paves the way for the agreement to enter into force once the parties have completed their internal procedures and informed their counterparts.

The agreement provides for cooperation between the EU and Japan on political and economic issues related to bilateral, regional and multilateral issues. Through the SPA, the parties pledge to strengthen the rules-based global order, implement governance, and uphold common values and principles such as the rule of law, democracy, respect for human rights, open markets, and free and fair trade. Regarding the bilateral dimension, the agreement will enable Japan and the EU to advance security cooperation, counter terrorism and serious international crimes, and prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

This is the first bilateral framework agreement between the EU and Japan, which lays the foundation for increased consultation and coordination in multilateral fora. The parties pledge to work together to advocate a rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core and promote the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate action and the pursuit of sustainable development goals.

The journey toward cooperation between the European Union and Japan began in 2018 with the signing of the agreement in Tokyo. The European Parliament approved the agreement on December 12, 2018, and on April 5, 2024, the procedures for Member States to ratify it were completed.