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EUJAPAN NEWS OCTOBER 2010 I 3 VOL 8 ONLINE PUBLIC CONSULTATION The future of the EU’s trade and economic relationship with Japan The Commission (DG TRADE) The questionnaire covers the following topics: has launched a public consultation intended to 1. Priorities for a forward-looking trade relationship with Japan enable the gathering of 2. EU-Japan bilateral economic and regulatory dialogues key views from relevant 3. Tari s and non-tari measures (NTMs) stakeholders relating to the 4. Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) future of the EU's trade and economic relationship with Japan. 5. Customs procedures, border enforcement and trade facilitation This work will help to shape the Commission's position in the 6. Protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) coming months. 7. Trade in services 8. Investment The EU and Japan decided at their Summit in April 2010 9. Public procurement to work more closely together on issues where a common 10. Competition issues approach is likely to be bene cial for both countries and for 11. Multilateral cooperation the functioning of the global architecture. They therefore 12. Sustainability established a joint High-Level Group (HLG) to identify options 13. Other issues to strengthen all aspects of EU-Japan relations. Contributions are welcome before 5 November 2010. On trade and economic issues, the HLG is examining ways To participate in the survey go to http://ec.europa.eu/your- to further integrate the two economies, by addressing, for voice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=EUJapan2010 instance, issues such as tari s, non-tari measures, services, More on EU Trade with Japan: investment in services and non-services sectors, intellectual http://trade.ec.europa.eu/consultations/?consul_id=148 property and public procurement. The HLG will table recom- mendations to EU and Japanese leaders ahead of the 2011 EU- More information on HLG on page 5. Japan Summit which will be held in the spring. This consulta- tion is designed to provide input into that process. http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating- opportunities/bilateral-relations/ countries/japan/ CALL FOR APPLICATIONS «Distribution & Business Practices in Japan» (DBP) is is a joint venture co- nanced by the European a 5-day training mission in Japan for EU managers, Commission and the Japanese Ministry of such as Export Managers, working for EU companies. Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Its aim «Distribution & Business Practices in Japan» mission is to foster the development of industrial cooperation between companies from both will help EU companies to acquire useful tools for building an e ec- regions through training programmes for tive marketing strategy for the Japanese / Asian markets. businesspeople, for EU and Japanese students and researchers, and through information The course will also help participants to understand how existing distribution services and an industrial dialogue. channels successfully adjust their strategy to develop segmentation and product di erentiation in the Japanese market. This occasional newsletter is produced by the EU-based o ce of the EU-Japan Centre, and Training dates: 21 to 25 February 2011 Application deadline: 9 December 2010 is primarily intended to provide EU/Japan- related news. More information on page 9 or on http://www.eu-japan.eu EUASIA NEWS EUJAPAN NEWS OCTOBER 2010 I 3 VOL 8 I PAGE 2 "EXPERT VIEWS" The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) had its inaugural meeting in Bangkok in March 1996. The establishment of the ASEM process, involving the Heads of Government of the EU states and seve- ral Asian states, re° ected the interest of 8th Asia-Europe Meeting the burgeoning Asian economies in the Dr. T. P. Hardiman integrating and enlarging EU and the Chairman Telegael Media Group 48 Heads of State and Government from sense that ‘EurAsia’ should develop an Former member of the ASEF Board of 46 Asian and European countries, and the e ective dialogue between the peoples Governors from 2001 to 2010 European Commission and the ASEAN Se- of the two regions in the post-colonial to function in a largely informal envi- cretariat met in Brussels on 4-5 October era. Singapore took the lead in the fol- ronment with broad objectives relating 2010 for Summit discussions on key global low up to the inaugural ASEM meeting to an enhanced awareness and interac- challenges and ways of strengthening po- in Bangkok and provided in Singapore tion between the peoples of the two litical, economic and cultural ties between the location and secretarial facilities for regions and an improved ° ow of trade the two continents. the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), a and investment. The 8th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Sum- mechanism with an independent Board An ASEM outlook workshop organised mit o ered a unique and important oppor- tunity for deepening relations between of Governors established by ASEM. by the European Commission in April Europe and an increasingly self-con dent, 2010 took the view that better coordi- dynamic, “rising” Asia. The stated purpose of ASEF, which is nation, and the use of robust mecha- funded modestly by the partner states nisms to ensure this, need not lead to This Summit was the largest ever such and the European Commission, is the institutionalisation nor the loss of infor- gathering in Brussels, which is home both promotion of intellectual exchange, mality that has been a key feature of the to the European Union and NATO, the person to person exchange and culture ASEM process. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. exchange. With concentration on youn- José Manuel Barroso, President of the Euro- ger persons in the two regions, ASEF The ASEM process extends beyond eco- pean Commission, and Herman Van Rom- puy, President of the European Council, met has successfully put in place worthwhile nomic matters but the social dimension Naoto Kan, Japanese Prime Minister. programmes connecting civil society of trade has not featured signi cantly. over the past ten years and more. The This is an area of particular importance Mr. Kan headed the Japanese delegation success of ASEF is to be welcomed but it at this juncture. The nancial dilemmas to the ASEM8 Summit with the overarching is evident that the scope of the e ort is in the US and the EU in recent years theme of “Quality of life, achieving greater small in relation to the real need. caused by the reckless banking prac- well-being and more dignity for all citizens”. tices and the inadequate regulatory su- The economic pillar of ASEM is the Asia- pervision brings a new emphasis on the http://www.deljpn.ec.europa.eu/ Europe Business Forum (AEBF) which is impacts of globalisation. modules/media/news/2010/100809. concerned with trade and investment. It html seeks participation by business persons Regulatory arrangement, corporate from each of the partner states. Unlike governance, corporate social responsi- ASEF, the AEBF does not have a basic se- bility, management labour practice are Relevant Links cretariat with unhelpful consequences all matters in° uenced signi cantly by for continuity in thinking and strategy cultural perceptions. Business culture ASEM: http://www.aseminfoboard.org between the meetings which convene tends to be country speci c with a grea- 12th Asia Europe Business Forum Chair- man’s Statement: alternately in the EU and in Asia. The ter diversity of approach in Asia than is http://www.asem8.be/sites/de- inadequacies of the present AEBF arran- evident in Europe. fault/files/12th%20Asia-Europe%20 gements have been identi ed by a core The inadequate response of the G8 to Business%20Forum%20-%20 group of business persons from the par- the nancial crisis, the di³ culties now Chair%27s%20Statement.pdf tner states and an appropriate solution evident in pursuing reform of the IMF http://www.eutrio.be/pressrelease/ is being sought. structures and the likely increasing re- asem-8-chairs-statement-and-brus- liance on the G20 as a world wide nan- sels-declaration It is surprising that the ASEM Heads of cial policy forum points to the bene t Government process does not have an of a stronger coordination function in ASEM by EC: e ective coordinating mechanism. The ASEM. http://www.eeas.europa.eu/asem/in- ASEM process, being a non-statutory in- dex_en.htm tergovernmental arrangement, seems T.P. Hardiman – 12.10.2010 ASEF: http://www.asef.org Disclaimer: Views expressed in the above text are the personal views of the author and are not necessarily the views of the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation nor the European Commission or the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. FROM COMMISSION EUJAPAN NEWS OCTOBER 2010 I 3 VOL 8 I PAGE 3 EU–Japan research cooperation 2011 FP7 Calls published on 20 July 2010 As a result of the successful negotia- researchers may receive funds for the tions in the past year between the EU rst time in selected elds from the and Japan (including JST & NEDO go- Japanese funding agencies, under the vernment agencies), for the rst time condition that they have been success- there will be coordinated EU-Japan fully selected by an independent ex- calls for research proposals that will pert panel. provide funds for Japanese resear- Please nd the information on all FP7 chers. open calls at: While the EU Research Framework (FP7) http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index. is in principle fully open for the parti- cfm?fuseaction=Usersite.FP7Latest- cipation of researchers from Japan, it CallInformation does not normally provide funds for http://www.deljpn.ec.europa.eu/ partners from any highly industrialised modules/media/news/2010/100805. country. Next year in 2011, Japanese html?ml_lang=en 2009 EU exports to Japan Spotted Site The European Cluster Observato- EUROSTAT - Statistics in Focus ry is an online platform that since External trade - Economy and nance 2007 has provided a single access point to information and analysis EU-27 trade and foreign direct investment of clusters and cluster policy in with the USA, China, the EFTA countries, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Canada and Europe.