EPA Helpdesk: making the EPA work for businesses

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.

• EPA FACTSHEETS
  More than 32 factsheets were published on our websites, which generated a total of 21000+ visits. Factsheets covering topics, such as GIs, dairy, meat, spirits and wines were the most read.
• EPA WEBINARS
  More than 20 webinars were organised, gathering 1300+ registrants.
  The webinar on Rules of Origin received the most of our viewers' interest. As a result, the Helpdesk will keep organising webinars on this topic. 
• EPA INFODESK
  382 EPA-related inquiries were received and answered. Majority of the inquiries focused on the rules of origin 23.4% (still difficult to understand) and tariffs 22.7%. In addition, 11% of queries on 'how to use the EPA' were received from companies, which recently discovered opportunities provided by the EPA. For the most relevant Q&As, please check the following link
• EPA WORKSHOPS IN THE EU
  Complementary to the EPA webinars and the Infodesk, several workshops were co-organised all over the EU, in cooperation with member organisations of Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), during which the EPA was promoted.
• EPA PROMOTION
  The EPA and its opportunities were also presented during the Annual Conference of Enterprise Europe Network in October 2019 in Helsinki, which gathered more than 700 representatives from EU regional organisations, Member States and the European Commission. Interview on the EPA Helpdesk was also broadcasted on Euronews "Business Planet" TV Programme. 

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