European Union: EU and Japan issued Digital Partnership Council Joint Statement including unilateral conduct regulation

On 12 May 2025, the European Union and Japan reaffirmed an agreement for tech and digital cooperation at their third Digital Partnership Council, which included commitments to promote fair and contestable digital markets through unilateral conduct regulation. Both sides continued regulatory exchanges on effective online platform governance, including protecting minors and enhancing transparency. Regular technical discussions were held to align Japan’s Act on Promotion of Competition for Specified Smartphone Software with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. The EU and Japan confirmed their intention to formalise this cooperation through an Administrative Arrangement between the Japan Fair Trade Commission and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology and Directorate-General for Competition.