Philippines eyes conclusion of FTA talks with EU

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is aiming to conclude free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Union (EU) in the next round of talks scheduled from June 29 to July 3, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.

Trade Undersecretary Allan Gepty said in a Viber message that the government is hopeful that the next round of negotiations with the EU would be the last round of talks for the FTA.

“We are working on it,” he said.

Earlier, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said that the country expects to conclude negotiations for the Philippines-EU FTA by June or July.

The Philippines and the EU concluded the sixth round of FTA negotiations last week, during which the parties discussed digital trade, intellectual property, competition, services, investments, state-owned enterprises, trade in goods and government procurement, Gepty said.

He said that the FTA is expected to serve as a stronger economic platform to boost trade and investments for both the Philippines and the EU.

“This FTA is viewed to be one of the most strategically important trade partnerships in the Philippines’ economic relations,” he said.

“It represents a transformative opportunity for the Philippines, opening preferential market access to the EU’s single market of over 450 million consumers for Filipino goods and services while attracting European investment into key growth sectors such as renewable energy, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and digital innovation,” he also said.

Meanwhile, the FTA is expected to allow the EU to deepen its economic footprint in Southeast Asia amid intensifying global competition.

Gepty said the FTA would also reinforce supply chain resilience and advance shared commitments on sustainable development, labor standards and good governance.

“The Philippines stands ready to be the premier gateway for European engagement with the broader ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region,” he said.