EU–Japan cooperation in international trade governance: from the QUAD to JEEPA

Japan and the EU are long-time trading partners, which makes their cooperation in global economic governance a logical consequence. The most tangible example of long-term EU-Japan cooperation are the annual summits that have been organized between the two parties ever since 1991, discussing a broad range of topics, including international economic cooperation. It is therefore expected that a considerable cooperative relationship exists between the EU and Japan, taking various forms and covering a diverse range of issues. Because of the meticulous preparation and effort that is consistently being put into the annual summits by both parties, the EU and Japan are recognised as legitimate dialogue partners. However, whether these promises translate into cooperation in the field of international economic law is less clear-cut. This contribution studies the indications of cooperation between Japan and the EU in international trade governance. It analyses the cooperation between the EU and Japan in the context of the WTO, both on the basis of the parties’ behaviour towards each other as well as vis-à -vis other Members in WTO negotiations, dispute settlements and trade remedies. In the light of the recent EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, this contribution also tries to answer the question of whether EU-Japan cooperation was present in the early GATT years, throughout the Uruguay Round and after the establishment of the WTO, and whether further cooperation outside of the multilateral context shows promise for a consolidated cooperative relationship in international trade governance.