NEDA, European Commission launch phase 2 of technical assistance program

MANILA, Philippines - The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the European Commission (EC) have launched the second phase of a P486-million trade related technical assistance project that aims to enhance the capacity of select government agencies.

Overall, the project aims to help the Philippines implement deeper integration into the international trading systems in particular through support to the ongoing European Union-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (EU-ASEAN) Free Trade Agreement negotiations.

Of the total amount, the European Commission agreed to contribute P423 million while the Philippine government agreed to contribute P63.4 million.

NEDA officials said components of the project include trade policy and export development; standards harmonization and sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) conformity; trade facilitation; and rapid response facility.

Implementing agencies include the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for trade policy and export development and for standards harmonization; the Department of Agriculture for SPS conformity; and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for trade facilitation.

The standards harmonization component includes transferring knowledge of European Union (EU) market access conditions for strategic ASEAN and Philippine sectors, NEDA said.

Meanwhile, activities under SPS conformity include evaluation of the causes and consequences of marginalization of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), particularly in the coconut sector, making sure that these MSMEs comply with international standards.

NEDA Deputy Director General Margarita Songco thanked the EC, the government implementing agencies and the private sector for their continued support to the project.

“I would like to express the Philippine government’s appreciation to the European community delegation for their support in making this project possible,” Songco said adding that she is also thankful to the implementing agencies for active participation in the design and implementation of activities identified in the project.

Songco said the first phase of the project has increased awareness of safety in the fishery and coconut food and feed chains and improved EU market access for related exports which caused the increase in the number of companies accredited for export of fishery products to EU.