UKFT has vast experience of working with Japan. Japan is the UK fashion and textile industry’s third most important export market, after the EU and the USA.

UK-Japan Free Trade Agreement

• Official name: Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)
• Parties/territories: The United Kingdom and Japan
• Date of entry into force: 01.01.2021

UKFT welcomes the signing of the UK-Japan CEPA FTA and has been working closely with the Government behind the scenes to ensure that the deal works for British companies.

UKFT has created a guide to give a basic overview of this new agreement, including details on:

• Duty arrangements under the FTA from start
• What other arrangements are expected
• Fashion & textile HCC categories included on a duty-free basis
• Fashion & textile  HCC categories which will still attract duty/quota
• Other restrictions
• Rules of Origin (ROI) requirements to qualify for the FTA
• Mechanism for exporters to register/demonstrate ROI compliance
• VAT required on import/export at the border
• Labelling requirements for goods in target country
• Certifications required
• Standards and requirements
• Intellectual property issues
• GDPR issues
• Special advice for companies selling B2C online
• How does this FTA replicate/differ from previous FTAs the UK enjoyed as a member of the EU single market up to 31st December 2020
• Other issues

The information set out in this guide provides a basic overview, however, UKFT has much more information and experience of how this market works.

For more information on how to export your products to Japan and to join UKFT, read more here or contact us at info@ukft.org

New Government Updates

Guidance has been issued listing the provisions in the CEPA for SMEs. For more information, click here.

Guidance has been issued in the form of a technical note to set out how the tariff rate quota (TRQ) scheme in the CEPA will operate. For more information, click here.

Guidance has been issued detailing the changes in the PSR (Product Specific Rules of Origin) that will apply to UK businesses trading with Japan when the EU-Japan EPA no longer applies to the UK. For more information, click here. Changes to PSRs for non-agricultural market access (NAMA) goods – Harmonized System (HS) classification (2017). Details here