Asia and the EU

Latest news about Asia and the European Union. The EU is deepening its strategic partnerships with China, India, Japan and negotiations are well underway on new partnership and free trade agreements with South Korea and with south-east Asian countries. Asia comprises high-income industrialised partners and dynamic emerging economies but is also home to two thirds of the world's poor. Development cooperation therefore remains high on the EU's agenda with Asia, and more than five billion euros allocated to Asia by the EU for the period 2007-2013. Policies are address common challenges, such as climate change, sustainable development, security and stability, governance and human rights, as well as the prevention of, and response to natural and human disasters. The EU is stepping up its support to regional integration through the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and intensifying cooperation with the Association of South-East Asia Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement - key elements — 31 January 2019, 21:04 CET

The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, came into force on 1 February, 2019, is expected to boost trade in goods and services as well as create opportunities for investment.

European Union partnership with India — 21 November 2018, 00:41 CET

The European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on 20 November adopted a Joint Communication that sets out the EU's vision for a strategy to strengthen cooperation and the partnership with India.

Green light for Singapore-EU trade deal — 16 October 2018, 18:25 CET

EU Member States authorised Tuesday the signature and conclusion of the trade and investment agreements between the EU and Singapore, as well as a partnership and cooperation agreement.

31m fake goods seized at EU borders in 2017 — 01 October 2018, 22:57 CET

Customs authorities detained over 31 million fake and counterfeit products at the EU's external border with a street value of over EUR 580m, according to figures released Thursday by the EU Commission.

EU reaches out to Asia with infrastructure plan — 20 September 2018, 23:55 CET

The EU Commission and foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini adopted a Joint Communication Wednesday setting out a vision for a new and comprehensive strategy to better connect Europe and Asia.

EU approach to connecting Europe and Asia — 20 September 2018, 23:29 CET

The European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy adopted on 19 September a Joint Communication that sets out the EU's vision for a new and comprehensive strategy to better connect Europe and Asia.

EU, Japan edge towards data protection deal — 06 September 2018, 00:01 CET

Following the July conclusion of EU-Japan talks on personal data flows, the Commission launched Thursday a procedure for adoption of its decision on data protection adequacy between the two blocs.

Japan adequacy decision — 23 January 2019, 21:13 CET

The European Commission adopted on 23 January 2019 its adequacy decision on Japan, allowing personal data to flow freely between the two economies on the basis of strong protection guarantees.

EU signs largest ever free trade deal with Japan — 18 July 2018, 15:52 CET

EU and Japanese leaders signed a landmark free trade agreement Tuesday, removing nearly all tariffs paid by EU companies exporting to Japan and sending a clear message against protectionism.

EU urges China to play by the rules on trade — 17 July 2018, 18:32 CET

China needs to take responsibility for global problems of overcapacity in the steel and aluminium sectors, and conform to stricter rules on state aid, the European Union said at a summit in Beijing Monday.

Indonesian airlines removed from EU blacklist — 15 June 2018, 00:53 CET

The Commission cleared all Indonesian air carriers from the EU Air Safety list Thursday, as it introduced a warning system for air traffic controllers to prevent unsafe aircraft entering European airspace.

EU launches WTO case against China — 03 June 2018, 20:39 CET

The European Union launched legal proceedings in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Friday against Chinese legislation that it claims undermines the intellectual property rights of European companies.

EU extends anti-dumping duties on Chinese steel rope — 20 April 2018, 23:33 CET

The European Commission decided Friday to extend anti-dumping duties on imports of Chinese steel rope and cable for another five years. Duties of 60.4 per cent have been in place since 1999.

Brussels urges early signing of Japan trade deal — 19 April 2018, 00:13 CET

The European Commission urged a swift conclusion of trade deals with Japan Wednesday, presenting the outcome of negotiations on the biggest bilateral trade partnership ever negotiated by the EU.

EU - Singapore Free Trade Agreement — 19 April 2018, 00:11 CET

The European Union and Singapore have finished negotiating a Free Trade Agreement and an Investment Protection Agreement. The agreements aim to: remove nearly all customs duties and get rid of overlapping bureaucracy; improve trade for goods like electronics, food products and pharmaceuticals; stimulate green growth, remove trade obstacles for green tech and create opportunities for environmental services; encourage EU companies to invest more in Singapore, and Singaporean companies to invest more in the EU.

EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement — 01 February 2021, 16:15 CET

The EU and Japan's Economic Partnership Agreement entered into force on 1 February 2019. Together the EU and Japan make up for a quarter of the world's GDP and bilateral trade reaches some EUR 170 billion a year. The trade agreement with Japan: removes tariffs and other trade barriers and creates a platform to cooperate in order to prevent obstacles to trade; and helps the EU shape global trade rules in line with its standards and shared values, and sends a powerful signal that two of the world's biggest economies reject protectionism.

China still tops EU dangerous products report — 12 March 2018, 23:32 CET

53 per cent of dangerous consumer goods reported to the EU originate in China, Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Vera Jourova said Monday as she presented the 2017 annual report on dangerous goods.

EU extends anti-dumping measures on Chinese steel — 06 March 2018, 15:42 CET

The European Commission on Tuesday prolonged for another five years the existing anti-dumping measures on Chinese imports of seamless pipes and tubes of stainless steel.

EU slaps anti-dumping duties on Chinese corrosion resistant steel — 08 February 2018, 18:30 CET

The EU Commission imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on corrosion resistant steel from China Thursday, after a probe confirmed that Chinese producers were dumping the product on the EU market.

EU finalises trade partnership deal with Japan — 12 December 2017, 17:01 CET

The EU and Japan finalised a deal on the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement Friday, creating an economic zone with 600 million people and approximately 30 per cent of the world GDP.

EU-China look to cooperate on state aid — 16 November 2017, 23:08 CET

The EU Commission and China reaffirmed the importance of cooperation on competition policy for good economic relations Thursday, at a meeting forming part of a new dialogue between the EU and China.

EU Parliament gives green light to new anti-dumping rules — 15 November 2017, 18:19 CET

New EU rules will require trade partners outside the EU to meet international social and environmental standards, following a vote by Euro-MPs Wednesday to fight dumped and subsidised imports.

EU, India promise renewed effort on trade talks — 06 October 2017, 22:37 CET

The EU and India agreed Friday to intensify efforts towards a Free Trade Agreement at a summit in New Delhi marking 55 years of diplomatic relations between the world's two largest democracies.

41 million fake goods seized at EU borders, China main source — 20 July 2017, 18:41 CET

Customs authorities detained more than 41 million fake and counterfeit products valued at over EUR 670 million at the EU's external borders in 2016, according to figures released Thursday.

EU-Japan trade agreement: texts of the agreement in principle — 06 July 2017, 18:37 CET

The agreement in principle – shared with the EU’s Member States and the European Parliament, this website sets out what is in the agreement: summary of the agreement, explanatory factsheets, infographics and the published chapters