The European Union will enter into free trade talks with Japan
2012-12-11 10:28:08
The European Union will enter into free trade talks with Japan, a move that could mean significant growth in European Union agricultural exports.
Hailing the move as a decision to foster growth and jobs in Europe, trade commissioner Karel De Gucht said, "We explicitly reserve ourselves the right to pull the plug on the negotiations after one year if Japan does not live up to its commitments on removing non-tariff barriers".
The European Union trade chief said the European Union's agri-food sector was one area that would fare particularly well from a trade deal, given Japan's large number of affluent consumers and the relatively high level of border protection.