EBC Newsletter – October 7, 2020

Since October 1st, although tourists are still excluded, foreigners can enter Japan again under certain conditions (paperwork and a COVID-19 test). The EBC has gathered information for you on the new procedures for residents and non-residents to come (back) to Japan.

As you know, the main mission of the EBC is to advocate and to lobby for EBC members and for our stakeholders, the European National Chambers of Commerce in Japan. Recently, the EBC worked hard to successfully advocate against the (re-)entry ban to Japan for non-Japanese nationals, which affected both people and companies. Our 23 Committees are devoted to improving the business environment for European companies in Japan. The EBC Committees highlight issues and make practical recommendations for how they should be resolved. In this Newsletter, we offer you the opportunity to get an insight on our Airlines Committee.

We also advertise 2 online events about important topics: business and climate action (EU-Japan Webinar | 2020: Raising the ambition for climate) and EU SMEs and international trade (Road to recovery – empowering small businesses to trade internationally).

Finally, we publish a link to a questionnaire on the current Japanese government procurement measures that gives you a chance to express your concerns and requests regarding these measures.

We wish you a good reading and hope you stay positive and healthy during this difficult time.

Valerie Moschetti
EBC Chief Operating Officer

Date: 19th October 2020 – 4:00pm-5:30pm (JST)
Program and registration:

• English version
• Japanese version

On this occasion the Commission will also present the Access2Markets platform. The new Access2Markets portal is a comprehensive one-stop-shop for companies to obtain information about trade agreements. Designed specifically to enhance SME use, it brings into a single, easy-to-use tool all relevant information for SMEs: export and import information including rule of origin tool ROSA and also information regarding intra-EU trade.

You can register your participation to the online conference through the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/SME-Event-202010

Before the event, you will receive a reply confirming your registration and granting you access to the online conference. If you do not receive a confirmation, please contact: [email protected]

Based upon the Understanding among related ministries and agencies concerned in procurement of 31 March 2014 – a successor to the Action Program Committee’s decision of 28 March 1994 – the following questionnaire has been published (English / Japanese) to receive opinions and requests from domestic and foreign companies and business associations regarding the current government procurement measures.