Mauro Petriccione negotiator urges EU progress in trade talks with Japan

The European Union and Japan could forge a free trade accord within months, but failure to do so by the end of next year could lead to scepticism that a deal will ever be reached, the EU’s chief negotiator has said.

The two launched negotiations in March 2013 toward a trade deal that would encompass a third of the world’s gross domestic product.

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and top EU officials had called on negotiators in May 2014 to wrap up all key issues by the end of 2015. Instead, a 15th round of talks is now scheduled to take place in Brussels at the end of February.