The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement
The EU-Japan EPA entered into force on 1 February 2019, creating one of the world's largest free trade areas. Together, the EU and Japan account for roughly 30% of global GDP. The agreement eliminates or reduces duties on over 90% of goods traded between the two economies.
For imports into Spain from Japan, the EPA's practical impact depends on the product category. Many Japanese industrial goods — electronics, machinery, most chemicals — already entered the EU at 0% under standard MFN rates before the agreement. The EPA's main duty-reduction effect is on food and agricultural products (sake, whisky, processed foods, seafood) and on the phased elimination of EU tariffs on Japanese vehicles over a 7-year period.
The EPA uses origin declarations, not EUR.1 certificates. Unlike some older EU trade agreements, the EU-Japan EPA does not use EUR.1 certificates. Instead, approved Japanese exporters make a statement of origin directly on the commercial invoice or another commercial document. If your supplier cannot provide this, standard MFN tariff rates apply.
Origin Documentation Under the EU-Japan EPA
To claim preferential duty rates, your Japanese supplier must include a statement on origin on the commercial invoice (or on a packing list or delivery note). The statement must identify the goods and contain a declaration that they originate in Japan.
Any Japanese exporter can make this declaration, provided the goods genuinely originate in Japan and the exporter can demonstrate this if asked by customs. For shipments above a certain value, the Japanese exporter must be approved by the Japanese customs authorities to make the declaration — this is the Japanese equivalent of the EU's REX system.
There is no separate certificate to obtain before shipment — the declaration on the invoice is the document. Make sure your supplier includes it as standard for every shipment to Spain.
AJ Logistics · Madrid
Importing from Japan to Spain?
We coordinate sea and air freight from Japan, check EPA origin documentation and handle customs clearance at Spanish ports — one contact for the whole chain.
What Spanish Importers Source from Japan
- Automotive vehicles and parts — Japan is a major vehicle exporter; EU car tariffs are being phased out under the EPA
- Industrial machinery and equipment — precision machinery, manufacturing equipment, robotics
- Electronic components and devices — semiconductors, sensors, specialist electronics
- Precision instruments and optics — medical devices, measuring instruments, cameras and lenses
- Chemicals and chemical products — specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, adhesives
- Food and drink specialities — whisky, sake, seafood, sauces; these see some of the biggest EPA duty reductions
Customs Clearance in Spain
All shipments from Japan require customs clearance in Spain regardless of the trade agreement. A DUA (Declaración de Aduana Única) must be filed, and the EPA origin declaration must be presented to claim preferential duty rates. Import VAT at 21% is assessed on the customs value and is recoverable by VAT-registered businesses.
Shipping from Japan to Spain
Sea freight from Japan to Spain takes 30 to 40 days. Ships typically depart from Yokohama, Kobe or Osaka and route through the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal to reach Spanish Mediterranean ports (Valencia, Barcelona) or the Atlantic port of Algeciras. Air freight from Tokyo (Narita or Haneda) or Osaka (Kansai) to Madrid takes 2 to 3 days.
