European Union commits strong partnership with RP

MANILA, Philippines - The European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its commitment to remain a strong and reliable partner of the Philippines despite the current global recession.

Amb. Alistair MacDonald, head of delegation of the European Commission (EC) to the Philippines, said during the Europe Day reception at the Mandarin Hotel last week that the past year has seen a continued deepening of EU-Philippine relations.

MacDonald said the EU is hopeful that like what the Philippines and the other ASEAN members have accomplished, the EU will complete the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon with the aim of bringing together the 27 member states closer to their citizens.

“This year, I can say the same, we are still moving on to complete the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, and indeed we can look with some envy at ASEAN for its achievement in ratifying its Charter,” MacDonald said.

“Nevertheless, we have continued to work to set the path for an evolving European Union in the decades to come – a Union which will always be a strong and reliable partner internationally – globally, regionally, and here in the Philippines – whether in good times or in the context of today’s global recession,” he said.

MacDonald said the political and policy dialogue between EU and the Philippines has grown stronger, both bilaterally and in the context of ASEAN and Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM).

Later this month EU and ASEAN foreign ministers will meet in Hanoi for the ASEM and in Phnomh Penh for EU-ASEAN.

The EC co-hosted with the Philippines last month in Manila a first ASEM dialogue on development cooperation policy.

He added that the EU and the Philippines continue to work to strengthen trade and investment relations.

“And in 2008 the EU resumed its place as the largest single export market of the Philippines, as well as being, I believe, the largest source of inward investment here,” he said.

The bilateral relations, he said, are also reaching a new level of intensity, with the opening of negotiations on an EU-Philippine Partnership and Cooperation Agreement last February.

“And I am confident that we can move forward rapidly in deepening, widening and strengthening our relations through the PCA,” he added.

Around one million Filipinos working in Europe, in sectors as diverse as healthcare or accounting, continue to bridge the Philippines and Europe in supporting both economies.

In terms of cooperation, EU’s total funding for the Philippines since the partnership began in 1976, has already passed the Euro1-billion mark, and continues to focus the cooperation on the fight against poverty particularly in Mindanao.

The EU also provided substantial help to address the plight of the civilians affected by the conflict in Mindanao and hopes that the conflict might soon be brought to an end, in order to allow the prosperous region achieve its full potential.