EBC Newsletter – April 17, 2024

April 17, 2024 EBC Newsletter – April 17, 2024

News, Newsletter

 

From the EBC

Dear Friends of the EBC,

On 5 April, we met Dominic Boucsein, Head of international Trade and Foreign Policy at EuroChambres, the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry based in Brussels. We had a discussion on the current situation of European companies in the Japanese market and EuroChambres’ activities in relation to Japan.

Bjorn Kongstad, Valerie Moschetti, Dominic Boucsein

On 10 April, the EBC was invited by the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Japan to their luncheon to explain how it can help European companies in Japan, especially those facing regulatory barriers! After a presentation by President Laurent Depus on EBC’s activities, achievements and future plans, Laurent and I answered questions from the participants.
If your company is facing regulatory issues in the Japanese market, don’t hesitate to get involved in one or more of our 22 committees. European lobbying can be an effective complement to your corporate lobbying.

On 11 April, the EBC, together with IBA Japan and EY, offered its members the opportunity to attend a conference on “Geopolitics, Sustainability Reporting and AI: Key Policy Issues for Banks and Financial Institutions”. Shawn Maher, Global Vice Chair, Public Policy at EY, provided participants with:
– A briefing on key policy issues that could impact banks and financial services, including geopolitics, US election scenarios and related regulation and legislation.
– An update on sustainability reporting requirements, including the recent SEC climate disclosure rule.
– An overview of AI regulations and their potential impact on business.

Laura Winthrop, Shaun Maher, Laurent Depus, Kristopher Watanabe

To conclude this newsletter, I would like to share the following information with you:

On 18 April, the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation will host a ZOOM webinar on Japan’s green transformation (GX) strategy – From the perspective of the EU-Japan Green Alliance.
More information

On 23 April, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Japan, in partnership with the leading Iberian law firm Pérez-Llorca, is organising an event tailored for Japan’s leading organisations, offering a unique platform to explore the vibrant opportunities within the EU market, with a particular focus on Spain and Portugal, while addressing the complexities of their legal systems.

JETRO is calling for applications from a wide range of companies for the “Subsidy for Projects to Stimulate Direct investment in Japan” program, that covers the cost of demonstration projects by foreign and foreign-affiliated companies in Japan for introducing and developing innovative technologies and business models in Japan through collaboration between foreign companies/foreign-affiliated companies in Japan and Japanese companies/research institutions.
More information

The EBC team is looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Valerie Moschetti
EBC Chief Operating Officer

What’s in the Media

  • The government has decided to prescreen certain foreign travelers before they set out for Japan by having them declare their activities and places of stay in advance, it has been learned.The move aims to prevent foreigners from entering Japan for purposes such as terrorism or illegal work by preventing those seen as likely to cause problems from boarding Japan-bound planes, according to sources. (The Japan News)
  • About 20% of the products in Japan’s “functional foods” labeling system have withdrawn their claims over a lack of scientific evidence or due to termination of their sales, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned. (The Mainichi)
  • Japan’s greenhouse gas emissions fell to a record low in fiscal 2022 on the back of reduced steel production and energy-saving efforts by households, government data showed Friday. National emissions in the year through March 2023 totaled 1.14 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, down 2.5 percent from fiscal 2021 and the lowest level since comparable data became available in fiscal 1990. (Japan Today)

Upcoming EBC Committee Meetings

Date Committee Time / Location
Apr 18 (Thu) Medical Equipment & Diagnostics Off-site
1430~
Apr 18 (Thu) Logistics & Freight EBC
1700~
May 8 (Wed) Energy Hybrid
1330~
May 10 (Fri) Railways Hybrid
1600~
May 14 (Tue) Sustainability & Social Responsibility Hybrid
0900~
May 23 (Thu) Human Resources Hybrid
0930~
May 23 (Thu) Medical Equipment & Diagnostics Off-site
1430~

If you are interested in joining a committee meeting, please contact the EBC to confirm the time and meeting place.

Stakeholders of the EBC:

European Business Council JAPAN
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