The European Union (EU) and Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on Friday to boost innovation and develop an international hydrogen market as pioneer countries in this technology.
The two international partners have committed to collaborate on the sustainable and affordable production, trade, transport, storage, distribution and use of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen to help establish a transparent, rules-based global hydrogen market without distortions to trade and investment.
The agreement was signed on Friday in Tokyo by the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Yasutoshi Nishimura, and the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, who stressed that it is «an important milestone in deepening energy cooperation» that will be «key to both the EU’s climate objectives and energy security».
The memorandum identifies a number of areas in which governments, industry players, research institutions and local authorities in the EU and Japan will be encouraged to cooperate, such as policy, regulation, research, project development, as well as education and upskilling and reskilling of the workforce.
Both parties are already committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and accelerating the transition to clean energy, as outlined in the EU-Japan Green Alliance.
