European Union-Japan Action Plan

HL Deb 24 February 2005 vol 669 c225WA

Lord Dykes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will seek to accelerate progress on the United Kingdom's proposals within the European Union-Japan action plan; and which priority areas they will put forward. [HL1209]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)

The action plan agreed in 2001 remains the principal framework for European Union (EU)-Japan cooperation across a wide range of issues. These include international peace and security, trade and financial issues, global and societal challenges, and people to people exchanges. Since the adoption of the action plan, the EU and Japan have strengthened their cooperation in these fields. The UK will seek to build on this during our EU Presidency, and will ensure that a meeting of the Steering Committee for the EU-Japan Action Plan will be held in our presidency.

We welcome further development of EU-Japan dialogue reflecting the conclusions of the 2003 EU-Japan Summit; in particular on international security and conflict issues, and the global environment, where the EU and Japanese positions have much in common.