Parliamentarians warn Swiss firms may lose out over Japan-EU trade deal
The wide-ranging free trade deal signed between Japan and the European Union on Tuesday is likely to put pressure on Swiss industrial companies and farmers which export to the Asian country, a Switzerland-Japan parliamentary group has declared.
This content was published on
2 minutes
SDA-ATS/sb
On Tuesday, Japan and the EU concluded an ambitious free trade deal which creates the world’s largest open economic area. The pact removes EU tariffs of 10% on Japanese cars and 3% on most car parts. It will also end Japanese duties of 30% or more on EU cheese and 15% on wines, and secure access to large public tenders in Japan. Europe’s food sector is likely to be one of the biggest beneficiaries from the deal, which should allow it to build on Japanese demand for cheese, chocolates, meats and pasta.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Switzerland-Japan parliamentary group warned of the economic advantage that European competitors would be gaining from lower customs tariffs from 2019 onwards. Swiss parliamentarians are concerned that in the area of public tenders Swiss companies may fall behind. The statement follows a related study by the export promotion organisation Switzerland Global EnterpriseExternal link.
Christian Democrat Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter, president of the Switzerland-Japan parliamentary group, says Swiss firms deserve equal market access to EU companies. She is calling for the ten-year-old Switzerland-Japan free trade deal to be renewed. Last December, the centre-right parliamentarian filed a parliamentary question on this issue in Bern.
Despite visits to Japan in April by Alain Berset, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, and Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer, no new negotiations are on the horizon.
The ambitious EU-Japan trade deal will remove most of the €1 billion in duties paid each year by EU companies exporting to Japan as well as a number of regulatory barriers. It will also open the Japanese market of 127 million consumers to the EU’s main agricultural and industrial exports. Officials say the accord should boost the EU economy by 0.8% and Japan’s by 0.3% over the long term.
The deal comes amid fears that a trade war between the United States and China will diminish the role of free trade in the global economic order. The Japan-EU deal is also seen as a sign of shifting global ties as Trump distances the US from long-time allies like the EU, NATO and Canada.
First large-scale alpine solar plant approved in Switzerland
This content was published on
The approval was met with satisfaction by the project's organisers, but it also brings with it a certain amount of pressure.
Medieval squirrels may have ‘helped spread leprosy’
This content was published on
An examination of squirrel remains in the United Kingdom has opened up interesting questions and possibilities in terms of the history of the disease.
Swiss money laundering office registers record number of reports
This content was published on
The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) registered a record number of reports of suspicious activity last year.
Two teens accused of planning terror attack released from custody
This content was published on
The Schaffhausen judiciary has released the two teenagers from custody who allegedly planned bomb attacks in Switzerland.
Switzerland sees greatest economic benefits from globalisation
This content was published on
A study published Friday shows that industrialised countries reap the greatest economic profits from increased global interconnectedness.
Swiss seek closer economic and scientific ties with Japan
This content was published on
The accord would pave the way for closer bilateral scientific and research projects, the Swiss government said on Thursday. Berset, who also holds the health portfolio, is due to attend a summit on patient safety and aims to hold talks with health ministers of various countries on the fringes of the event. Official talks between…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.