[Title] "Joint Elements" from the 4th EU - Japan Cyber Dialogue

On the occasion of the fourth meeting of the EU-Japan Cyber Dialogue in Brussels on 11 June 2019, the European Union (EU) and Japan confirmed their partnership in favour of an open, free, fair, stable and secure cyberspace that fosters social and economic growth and in which human rights and fundamental freedoms are respected.

The two sides presented on the developments with regard to their respective strategies, policies and legislation. They confirmed their continued cooperation on strengthening cybersecurity to reinforce trust in the digital economy and society and underlined the need for a stable and secure cyberspace to realise the opportunities that digital development offers.

EU and Japan condemned any attempt to abuse Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for malicious intent and reaffirmed their commitment to the settlement of international disputes in cyberspace by States by peaceful means. The two sides underlined the importance of working together to promote responsible behaviour in cyberspace, holding actors that undertake malicious activities in cyberspace responsible for their actions and continuing to enhance their cooperation to deter and respond to malicious cyber activities. The two sides confirmed their commitment to continuing cooperation in the context of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security (UNGGE), as well as the Open Ended Working Group.

EU and Japan underlined the need for international cooperation in order to strengthen global capacities to prevent and mitigate cyber threats and to investigate and prosecute cyber criminals. The two sides noted the importance of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime in this regard as a solid basis for national legislation and international cooperation in fighting cybercrime, and confirmed their commitment to strengthen global capacities and exchange best practices.

Furthermore, the two sides also reaffirmed that no State should conduct or support ICT-enabled theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets or other confidential business information, with the intent of providing competitive advantages to its companies or commercial sectors.

The fourth EU-Japan Cyber Dialogue confirmed and strengthened the partnership between EU and Japan with regard to cyber issues. The two sides identified synergies in their respective work in this field and expressed their commitment to realizing an open, free, stable and secure cyberspace, including through the ASEAN Regional Forum Inter-Sessional Meeting on Security of and in the Use of Information and Communications Technologies (ARF ISM on ICTs Security) and its Open Ended Study Group on Confidence Building Measures to reduce the risk of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies (Study Group). The two sides confirmed that they would continue to work together to build global resilience, strengthen the criminal law response and to enhance global stability in the cyberspace through international cooperation.

The fourth formal EU-Japan Cyber Dialogue took place on 11 June 2019 in Brussels. A number of departments and agencies participated in the meeting, and Member States of the European Union took part in the dialogue as observers. The fifth EU-Japan Cyber Dialogue will be convened in approximately one year's time in Tokyo.