The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) marked the start of a new era for the European Union and Japan. From the start, the priority for us at the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation has been implementing the EPA. We should ensure that businesses, in particular SMEs, reap the maximum benefits from the agreement. This means raising awareness with promotion campaigns, making information accessible, providing guidance and reaching out to SMEs throughout Europe. It is the objective of the EPA Helpdesk which was actually put in place at the end of 2018, anticipating the entry into force of the EPA on February 1st, 2019.
The EPA Helpdesk provides fact sheets, practical guides and organises a series of webinars on key aspects of the EPA such as rules of origin, public procurement, geographical indications, as well as sectors, wine, cheese, etc. In order to spread the message and help European SMEs take advantage of the EPA, the Helpdesk is mobilising important relays in Europe, in particular existing pan-European networks, such as the Enterprise Europe Network, the European network of industrial clusters, regions and European industry sectors. After 18 months of operation, below you can find some figures illustrating the EPA Helpdesk-related activities.
In the coming months, the EPA Helpdesk will keep providing information sessions either through webinars or through workshops across the EU (if the current COVID-19 outbreak is tamed), co-organised with member organisations of Enterprise Europe Network (EEN).
Starting early September, 16 online training sessions will be organised to present (in a practical manner) key points EU companies should know when exporting to Japan. Each session will tackle a different topic and will be related to business rules, regulations, standards, various conformance assessment practices and other.
https://www.eu-japan.eu/epa-helpdesk
Published: June 2020