[All redactions are based on Art. 4 (1) (b) of Regulation 1049/2001]
- Ref.Ares(2019)5376556-mcJSl2019
Ref. Ares(2020)1488156 - 11/03/2020
current and upcoming FTA negotiations in regard to market
access liberalization (duties and rules of origin) for tobacco
products
Meeting date and place
Meeting held on 23/05/2019 10:00 in Charlemagne
Participating organisation(s) & representative(s)
- - JT International (TRN: 71175716023-03)
Participant, Requester,
- JT International (TRN: 71175716023-03) Participant,
Main issues discussed
Meeting TRADE & GROW with JTI (Japan Tobacco International), 23 May 2019, 10.00-11.00
JTI:
,
JT/ EU Affairs Office, Strombeek-Bever, Belgium,
JT/, Geneva, Switzerland;
DGGROW.
,
GROW D.3; DG TRADE:
TRADE F3);
(INADE D3).
- The meeting was strictly limited to discussing trade-related issues concerning the EU tobacco sector; the feedback received from JTI is
relevant, necessary and valuable for pursuing EU trade policy objectives.
- JTI stressed its strong support for an ambitious EU trade agenda. The company outlined its key interests regarding the treatment of
tobacco products in ongoing EU FTA negotiations with respect to tariff I beralization and rules of origin; in this context, JTI was particularly
interested in EU FTA negotiations with the Mercosur bloc, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Chile. In addition, JTI asked about
prospects for relaunching currently suspended (Malaysia, Thailand, India) or very slow-moving (the Philippines) EU FTA negotiations and
also showed interest in the process of implementing EU FTAs which have already been concluded (Singapore, Mexico, Vietnam) or entered
into force (Japan, Colombia-Peru-Ecuador). COM took note of JTl's views.
- Moreover, JTI presented its position concerning ongoing EU investment negotiations, notably with China: While JTI is not against the
EU's proposed Investment Court System (ICS), the company strongly opposes the exclusion of the tobacco sector from the scope of
investment protection agreements which the EU concludes with third countries.
- JTI enquired about the state of play of revising the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention on Rules of Origin which is relevant for tobacco
products.
- Finally, JTI expressed interest in the ongoing WTO accession of Belarus (where a state monopoly for tobacco imports still exists) and
voiced concerns about the severe WTO Appellate Body crisis as well as the inclusion of some tobacco products (under HS 2401) in the
EU's recently published "preliminary list" of U.S. goods that will be targeted for retaliatory tariffs over subsidies to
Boeing (WTO dispute
settlement case DS353).
Directorate or unit
I TRADE D/3
Internal participants
TRADE D/3
Participant,
TRADE D/3
Participant, Notetaker,
GROW D3
Participant,
TRADE E/2
Participant,
TRADE F/3/001
Participant,
TRADE F/3/001
Participant,
TRADE F/3/001
Participant,
TRADE G/3
Participant,
Author(s) of minutes
I
Minutes generated by EMT (ld:TRAOE/950)
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Validator and validation date
validated the minutes on 23/08/2019 15:51
Minutes generated by EMT (Id:TRADE/950)
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