This file photo shows Japanese economic security minister Minoru Kiuchi, left, and EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic shaking hands on April 30, 2025. (Kyodo)
BRUSSELS/TOKYO (Kyodo) — The European Union will soon enter talks in earnest with Japan and other countries that make up a trans-Pacific partnership to explore cooperation in safeguarding free trade, Japanese and EU officials said.
The European Union’s first participation in a meeting of the trade group’s ministers, set to take place in Australia in November, comes as uncertainty hangs over the global economy amid aggressive U.S. tariff policies pursued under President Donald Trump.
Eleven Asia-Pacific economies and Britain have joined a pact formally known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, with several others such as China, Taiwan and Indonesia seeking membership.
The European Union has no plans to join, but EU officials say the 27-member regional bloc is seeking close cooperation with the Asia-Pacific economic region.
EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic will attend the Melbourne meeting, according to the Japanese and EU officials. The meeting is expected to take up issues such as reforming the World Trade Organization, which has run into dysfunction amid U.S. antipathy toward it.
The ministers may also discuss beefing up the supply chains for rare earths at a time when China has put restrictions on its exports of the minerals critical to high-tech manufacturing.
The European Union and the trans-Pacific partnership group together account for roughly 30 percent of gross domestic product globally.
The European Union’s outreach is part of its efforts to diversify its trading partners as its largest export destination, the United States, has moved to impose higher tariffs.