On the 24th of January Embassy of Sweden, SCCJ and Business Sweden arranged a fika with Swedish companies to discuss the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). The discussion focused on how Swedish companies were affected by the agreement and how Team Sweden together could cooperate to draw benefits from it.

EPA

The agreement will enter into force on February 1st and will eliminate the vast majority of tariffs between EU and Japan. It will also remove a number of Non-Tariff Measures and increase regulatory cooperation between Japan and the EU. Furthermore, Japan has agreed to accept a number of international standards, for example in the automotive and pharmaceutical sectors. Through the agreement Japan also opens up the market for public procurement in 54 cities and a number of national and regional agencies. The agreement also makes it easier for business travelers and more.

Information about the agreement can be found here:

Kommerskollegium – Sveriges expertmyndighet för handelsfrågor / National Board of Trade Sweden

Information about the agreement.

https://www.kommers.se/verksamhetsomraden/Handelspolitik/Forhandlingar/EUs-frihandelsavtal/FTA-Japan/

European Commission 

Information about the agreement.

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/eu-japan-economic-partnership-agreement/

Information about of how to take advantage of lower tariffs.  

https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/international-affairs/international-customs-cooperation-mutual-administrative-assistance-agreements/japan_en

Business Sweden

Certificate of origin. How to take advantage of lower tariffs.

https://www.business-sweden.se/en/Trade/international-markets/asia-pacific/Japan/eu-japan-economic-partnership-agreement-epa/

EU-Japan Center for Industrial Cooperation

Helpdesk about EPA and free webinars

https://www.eu-japan.eu/epa-helpdesk

Embassy of Sweden in Tokyo 

https://www.swedenabroad.se/tokyo