Economic Partnership Agreement with EU SMEs are also moving to capture the effects of tariff reductions at 11:31 on September 27

With the entry into force of the EPA = Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and the EU = European Union, there is a growing movement among SMEs to take advantage of tariff reductions.

Of these, a clothing manufacturer in Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture, exports raw thread to the EU and produces its own brand products at local factories.



The economic partnership agreement with the EU, which came into effect in February last year, has eliminated the 4% tariff, and the funds are being used to promote local products.



However, according to the JETRO-Japan External Trade Organization, only 46% of SMEs in Japan are able to utilize trade agreements due to complicated procedures.

For this reason, parts manufacturers in Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture, which export about 300 million yen annually to the EU for mold parts necessary for manufacturing automobile engines, etc., trade such as creating documents certifying the origin of products. By assigning a person in charge who is familiar with the business, it is linked to an increase in exports.

Keisuke Hanyuda, CEO of Owls Consulting, who is familiar with trade policy, said, "The reality is that SMEs lack human resources who are familiar with tariff practices and are not fully utilizing the agreement. The government is an IT that supports human resource development and tariff operations. We need to provide support such as introducing the system. "