July 3, 2023 Results of the Japan-EU Digital Partnership Council’s Meeting

On July 3 (Mon.), 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), jointly with the Digital Agency, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), held the Japan-EU Digital Partnership Council at the Digital Agency.

Overview of the Council

The Council was co-chaired by Mr. KONO Taro, the Minister for Digital Transformation, Mr. MATSUMOTO Takeaki, the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, and OTA Fusae, the State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, from the Japanese side. From the EU side was Mr. Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market.
At the Council, the representatives of these two ministries and the agency and Commissioner Breton exchanged views with each other and issued a joint statement as an outcome of the discussions.

Key points of the joint statement are as follows:

• 1.
  The Japan-EU Digital Partnership Council met in Tokyo, with the Digital Agency, MIC, METI and the EU as co-chairs.
• 2.
  Japan and the EU stand united more than ever to defend their common values and vision of the world based on a free, open, and rules-based international order.
• 3.
  Both sides have worked to deliver results in the strategic areas of semiconductors, High Performance Computing (HPC), quantum technology, 5G/Beyond 5G, Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT), digital trade principles, and resilient digital connectivity, while also pursuing a constructive dialogue in the areas of platform regulation, data governance, and cybersecurity.
• 4.
  Seizing the opportunity of the Council, Mr. Nishimura Yasutoshi, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Commissioner Breton intend to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation on semiconductors.
• 5.
  Seizing the opportunity of the Council, MIC Minister Matsumoto and Commissioner Breton signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on submarine cables for secure, resilient, and sustainable global connectivity.
• 6.
  Following joint preparatory work under the Japan-EU Digital Partnership, the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking launched a call for proposals on HPC aiming to promote its reciprocal use. Both sides will start discussing the reciprocal use of quantum computing environments.
• 7.
  Since 5G networks are being expanded and the development of 6G technology has started, both sides will continue to discuss the importance of open, secure, innovative, and resilient communication infrastructures.
• 8.
  Both sides intend to establish a permanent communication channel to update each other regularly on respective legislative and non-legislative frameworks aimed at realizing trustworthy AI. Both sides intend to contribute to the G7 discussions on generative AI in the Hiroshima AI process.
• 9.
  Both sides aim to ensure the free and trusted flow of data across borders underpinned by strong data protection rules. At the G7 Hiroshima Summit, both sides supported the priority of setting up an Institutional Arrangement for a Partnership (IAP) to operationalize DFFT. They concurred in the G7 and G20 context to promote bilateral best practices enabling DFFT.
• 10.
  These results represent tangible progress in priority workstreams established under the Japan-EU Digital Partnership. They have also put in place the foundations to establish operational cooperation in the cybersecurity fi eld, including information sharing and joint training.
• 11.
  Both sides envisage pursuing future common actions in areas with high economic potential, such as generative AI, digital transformation of SMEs and interoperability of trust services underpinning digital trade and DFFT. The co-chairs intend to meet again in 2024 to review progress, and make further steps to deepen their partnership.

[Attachments]

• Joint Statement [Original (English)]

• *
  The published materials are in Japanese only.