Guidance

Summary of the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

Information on the trade agreement with Japan, replacing the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement.

New rules for January 2021

The UK has left the EU, and the transition period after Brexit comes to an end this year.

This page tells you what you’ll need to do from 1 January 2021. It will be updated if anything changes.

You can also read about the transition period.

What the agreement covers

The agreement will form the basis of economic and trade relations between the UK and Japan. It replaces the EU-Japan trade agreement.

This trade agreement covers:

  • trade in goods and services, including provisions on rules of origin, preferential tariffs and quotas
  • intellectual property, including geographical indications
  • technical barriers to trade *trade remedies
  • sanitary and phytosanitary measures
  • customs and trade facilitation
  • competition
  • transparency
  • dispute settlement
  • government procurement

When the agreement will take effect

The Withdrawal Agreement sets out how the UK is able to continue to be covered by EU-third country trade agreements until 31 December 2020.

The EU has issued a notification to third countries outlining this approach.

The UK-Japan trade agreement is expected to take effect from 1 January 2021.

Contact

If you have queries about trade with Japan, contact the Department for International Trade (DIT).

More information

Published 23 October 2020
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