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EU Free Trade Deal likely to hurt Japan’s dairy farmers
The economic partnership agreement between the European Union and Japan comes as a corrective to the rising wave of protectionism in the United States and Britain but could deal a blow to Japanese dairy farmers and wineries, experts say.
Japan and the EU reached a broad agreement on the free trade deal last week to start abolishing or reducing tariffs on food and industrial goods as soon as early 2019.
Under the pact, Japan will set a low-tariff import quota of 20,000 tons on European soft cheeses such as Camembert and mozzarella in the first year and lift the tariff entirely for up to 31,000 tons after 15 years. Japan currently imposes a 29.8 per cent tariff on cheese.
Tariffs on other products such as European wine will be eliminated immediately, while levies on pasta and chocolate are slated for a more gradual removal period stretching about 10 years.