The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the report by Alojz PETERLE (EPP, SI) containing a motion for a non-legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Japan, of the other part.
Members welcomed the conclusion of the draft Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA), which provides a legally binding framework, strengthens EU-Japan bilateral relations and increases cooperation in more than 40 areas, such as foreign policy and security issues, emergency relief operations, humanitarian aid, economic matters, research, education, food safety, agricultural policy, space technology, culture and sport, as well as on global challenges that require global coordination such as climate change, migration, cyberthreats, public health, cross-border crime, peace-building operations, crisis and disaster management and the fight against terrorism.
Members reaffirmed the shared commitment to respect for human rights, democracy, fundamental freedoms, good governance and the rule of law, and common values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They called on the Union to enter into a dialogue with the Japanese government with a view to a moratorium on capital punishment and its possible abolition. They also highlighted the need for increased cooperation on women's rights.
Members called for, among other things:
Members called for the swift ratification of the provisional agreement by the parliaments of the EU Member States and for its thorough implementation in all sectors.