Brussels (AFP) - leaders of the European Union, agreed Saturday Japan and open negotiations toward a free trade agreement billion $-euro, connecting the world's third largest economy with the largest market in the world.
Long required by Tokyo, the decision to start preliminary talks on a trade agreement and to explore a new binding political agreement, was announced at a summit between EU leaders and Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan
"We still have a long way to go, but the objective is clear now," said EU President Herman Van Rompuy after discussions in a castle filled with history, nestled in the forest park on the outskirts of Brussels.
"When two of the world's major trading partners jointly confirm their intention to work on a free trade agreement, it is a great step forward," he added.
A joint statement said it was "agreed to start the process of negotiations for a comprehensive and detailed free trade agreement (FTA)" in parallel with "an agreement of binding covering political, global, and other sectoral cooperation".
Negotiations could begin at the beginning of the year next according to the success of a prerequisite "scope exercise", a list of tasks of aims to ensure that both parties share the same concerns and ambitions. Work on which should begin immediately.
After the triple March of the Japan disaster, Europe moved also meet Japanese calls for an easing of the restrictions on imports of food products while pledging to work hand in hand to promote the tightening of international nuclear safety standards.
"To the Japan is safe and open for business," said European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. ".
The economic impact of the quake, tsunami, and nuclear fusion have accelerated the Japan player to win a better trade deal with the 27-nation bloc of half a billion people, which last year hit its first ever FTA in Asia with rival Tokyo, South Korea.
Original agreement Saturday after decades of trade friction, Kan said: "I am convinced this will lead to a considerable economic partnership agreement".
But the European Union, a mountain of work remains to be done to overcome complaints of European companies of continuing barriers to access to the Japanese market.
Europe complained on unjust treatment in government procurement, comparing a 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product EU open to Japanese companies in 2007, 0.5% of the Japan GDP for EU business.
And EU officials say that foreign investment through the amounts of block 30% of its GDP, to the Japan foreign investment is to only three per cent.
During this time to wish Japan lifted tariffs on its cars and flat screen televisions.
With bilateral trade already at 110 billion euros (approximately $ 160 billion) per year, to tackle all barriers to free trade would be releasing a "big potential" for businesses on both sides, Barroso, said.
You are invited by Britain, the European leaders in March called for FTA talks help to the Japan, but subject that Tokyo lift trade restrictions.
The Japan, of difficulty to recover from its disaster of March, had hoped the Summit would provide an official launch of the FTA talks, but stunted Europe until, winning assurances more rules of fair play.
"We want to do business with the Japan but that there must be a clear concessions, said a business lobbyist." "We want to see clear indications of the Japan that it is open to us."
Even the European Parliament has intensified on the eve of the Summit to warn against jumping them into bed with the Japan.
"Instead of rushing headlong to new negotiations on a free trade agreement, the countries of the EU should focus on tangible results," said Euro-MP, Daniel Caspary, who sits on the Board of trade of the Assembly.
But Van Rompuy, an aficionado of style Japanese haiku mini-poèmes, words of hope for the Japan.
Expressing his conviction he would appear strong of the disaster in March, he read his last haiku for kan
"The three disasters."
Storms turn into a gentle wind
"A new, human wind".
Kan said: "it's a piece of haiku that really touches your heart."
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