The EU and Japan held their second Digital Partnership Council in Brussels on April 30. Thierry Breton, the Commissioner for the Internal Market and Taro Kono, the Japanese Minister for Digital Transformation, co-chaired the Council along with Takeaki Matsumoto, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, and Taku Ishii, the Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
During the meeting, the EU and Japan reaffirmed the significance of their strategic partnership to promote shared values and a vision for digital transformation that prioritises people and fundamental rights. Both parties also acknowledged the successful implementation of the Digital Partnership and reviewed the progress made since the first Digital Partnership Council in 2023. They agreed on a list of new deliverables to further cooperate on core digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, 6G, semiconductors, high-performance computing (HPC), and quantum technology. The two countries also aim to strengthen data and platform economy collaboration, submarine cables, eID, and cybersecurity.
The EU and Japan are among the most significant digital economies in the world. They launched the first-ever Digital Partnership on May 12 2022, during the 29th Japan-EU summit in Tokyo. The partnership aims to advance Cooperation on digital issues primarily through collaborative research on cutting-edge technologies, regulatory dialogue and convergence, and shaping common positions in international fora. The EU-Japan Digital Partnership is part of the EU’s strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, which aims to strengthen the EU’s partnerships in Asia.
The EU and Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation
The European Union and Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to collaborate on digital identities and trust services. The agreement will promote a shared understanding of digital identity initiatives between the two countries, which will benefit e-commerce and business opportunities by increasing efficiency and reducing bureaucracy. The Memorandum aims to facilitate data-free flow with trust through Cooperation and use cases based on the EU Digital Identity Wallet and trust services. It is expected to be presented as a “joint best practice” at the next OECD Ministerial meeting scheduled for May 2-3, 2024.
Furthermore, in semiconductors, the EU and Japan established a team of experts to develop a research programme to implement the Memorandum of Cooperation signed in July 2023. They are also preparing an administrative arrangement to foster the exchange of information on public support schemes.
The EU and Japan will continue their joint work on high-performance computing (HPC) and have identified hybrid quantum-HPC applications to further cooperate. They will also consider topics for joint projects in basic quantum research. The two partners are also exploring Cooperation on cybersecurity, including standards and ways to address the skills gap.
Regarding 6G technologies, the EU and Japan have launched collaborative research projects and intend to support global standardisation initiatives, which are crucial in developing 6G technologies. Both parties reaffirmed their shared vision for open and resilient networks.
The EU and Japan also announced their intention to enhance Cooperation between the EU AI Office and Japan’s AI Safety Institute. They will continue supporting the G7 Hiroshima AI Process and Code of Conduct to shape trustworthy AI global governance. The EU also encouraged Japanese companies to participate in the AI Pact launched by the Commission to foster early compliance with key provisions of the AI Act voluntarily before it enters into force and becomes generally applicable.
The EU and Japan confirmed the importance of deploying secure and resilient submarine cable infrastructures in line with the Memorandum of Cooperation on submarine cables for secure, resilient, and sustainable global connectivity signed on July 3, 2023, between the European Commission and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Both parties will continue Cooperation on developing direct connectivity links between Europe and Japan, such as via the Arctic, to bring forward commercial opportunities, trusted cross-border data flows, and oceanographic research.
Lastly, to ensure a safe online environment where freedom of expression is guaranteed, the EU and Japan agreed to explore establishing a regular information-sharing channel on online platform regulations, such as the European Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts.
The parties will meet in Tokyo, Japan, 2025 for the next Digital Partnership Council.
