Prime Minister Ishiba,

Thank you for hosting us at the 30th EU-Japan Summit. I was impressed by the Osaka World Expo yesterday, showcasing Japans unique blend of tradition and innovation. It was a memorable visit.

Dear Shigeru,

Congratulations on your successful tariff negotiations with the United States. This EU-Japan Summit is timely as we navigate rapid global changes. As strategic partners, we must unite to address growing challenges. We face significant geoeconomic pressures, including trade tensions, fragile supply chains, and geopolitical threats, from the conflict in Ukraine to tensions in the Indo-Pacific. Today is about finding common solutions and collaborating.

Lets focus on competitiveness, which starts at home. Europe is investing in innovation, enhancing the business environment, and reducing red tape. However, in todays world, competitiveness requires partnerships, especially with Japan. Together, we represent a fifth of global GDP and 600 million people, enabling us to influence global trade and technology rules based on our values of fairness and openness. Thus, we are launching our Competitiveness Alliance today, which is built on three pillars.

The first pillar is boosting bilateral trade. We are building on our Economic Partnership Agreement, which has already increased trade flows by over 20%. Now, we need to fully implement the Agreement across all sectors, including government procurement and health standards, to unlock its full potential. We also agreed to simplify regulations to ease the burden on businesses and promote mutual investment opportunities.

The second pillar is enhancing economic security. Japan is leading in this area, as highlighted by the G7 Summit in Hiroshima. We are upgrading our High-Level Economic Dialogue to strengthen cooperation on secure supply chains, particularly for raw materials and batteries, while also advancing the circular economy, securing joint research frameworks, and protecting critical infrastructure. We will collaborate more closely to counter economic coercion and unfair trade practices.

The third pillar focuses on innovation and transitions to green and digital economies. We are negotiating Japans participation in Horizon Europe, the largest global research and innovation program, hoping to conclude this year. Under our Green Alliance, we are initiating new cooperation on the circular economy, emissions trading, and clean technologies. In the digital realm, we are establishing a Working Group on Submarine Cable Connectivity, including in the Arctic, promoting secure data flows between our economies. As you mentioned, Prime Minister, we believe global competitiveness should be inclusive. Therefore, Europe is enhancing cooperation with CPTPP countries, not just to protect open trade but to shape it. Together, the EU and CPTPP can reform the World Trade Organisation to ensure global trade rules address current and future challenges.

Regarding security and defence, Europe is enhancing its capabilities with an EUR 800 billion defence industrial plan. We understand that todays security relies on partnerships, making Japans status as the first non-European country to finalize our Security and Defence Partnership significant. We aim to activate this partnership fully. Next year, we will launch the first EU-Japan Defence Industrial Dialogue, working together to reduce dependencies and build robust defence ecosystems based on mutual trust.

Prime Minister,

This Summit has reaffirmed our strong bond. In an increasingly fragmented world, this bond provides clarity and direction, guiding us towards a future reflecting our shared values of open economies, secure societies, and fair rules.