Trade
EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement committed to boost growth and jobs
At an event organized by the European Economic and Social Committee on the EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement, ILO-Brussels Director Claire Courteille mentioned that trade agreements can have wide-ranging effects on the economy, employment and labour standards and that it is important, therefore, to ensure that trade actions and policies are supportive of sustainable development.
The importance of trade relations between the EU and Japan can hardly be overstated. Japan is the EU’s second biggest trading partner in Asia and the third most important foreign investor in Europe. Negotiations leading up to an EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement are progressing and the ambition is to conclude them before the end of 2015.
Should the negotiators agree on a sustainable development chapter, it would be the first time that such topic would be included in a free trade agreement signed by Japan. The chapter in question deals with the economic, social and environmental aspects of the agreement, including employment and labour standards. At the meeting, both parties expressed their commitment to setting up a civil monitoring mechanism, giving civil society the opportunity to express its views on the FTA.
“As a tripartite organization, the ILO strongly welcomes the inclusion of the social partners in the monitoring of FTAs. The advice of the social partners can also be very useful in the negotiation phase.” underlined Mrs Courteille.
She concluded by saying that the ILO hopes for a strong sustainability chapter in the EU-Japan FTA. “We stand ready to provide assistance to the EU and Japan and to share our experience and expertise to help achieve a deal that delivers on growth and decent work.”
The importance of trade relations between the EU and Japan can hardly be overstated. Japan is the EU’s second biggest trading partner in Asia and the third most important foreign investor in Europe. Negotiations leading up to an EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement are progressing and the ambition is to conclude them before the end of 2015.
Should the negotiators agree on a sustainable development chapter, it would be the first time that such topic would be included in a free trade agreement signed by Japan. The chapter in question deals with the economic, social and environmental aspects of the agreement, including employment and labour standards. At the meeting, both parties expressed their commitment to setting up a civil monitoring mechanism, giving civil society the opportunity to express its views on the FTA.
“As a tripartite organization, the ILO strongly welcomes the inclusion of the social partners in the monitoring of FTAs. The advice of the social partners can also be very useful in the negotiation phase.” underlined Mrs Courteille.
She concluded by saying that the ILO hopes for a strong sustainability chapter in the EU-Japan FTA. “We stand ready to provide assistance to the EU and Japan and to share our experience and expertise to help achieve a deal that delivers on growth and decent work.”