7th EU-Japan Joint Dialogue with civil society (JDCS) under the EU-Japan EPA

On 4 March, the EU Domestic Advisory Group for Japan participated in the 7th Joint Dialogue with civil society (JDCS) under the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in Tokyo.

The JDCS centred on key pillars of trade and sustainable development, notably climate action, labour standards, and responsible business conduct. Participants discussed the green transition — including Japan's emission trading system GX-ETS, CBAM, carbon neutrality, and the EU-Japan Green Alliance — as well as sustainable forest management and deforestation-free supply chains. Exchanges on trade and labour addressed the implementation of ILO core conventions and recent developments related to forced labour. Finally, discussions covered responsible business conduct, due diligence requirements (including CSDDD implementation), and the need to strengthen capacity and cooperation in global supply chains.