Philippines, Canada to hold next FTA talks in September

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Canada, which are set to hold the next round of free trade agreement (FTA) talks next month, are on track to conclude negotiations within the year.

Trade Undersecretary Allan Gepty told reporters on the sidelines of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines’ forum, that the next round of FTA talks between the Philippines and Canada is scheduled next month.

The fourth round of FTA negotiations will be held in Canada.

Gepty said the parties conducted the third round of FTA talks also in Canada late last month.

“Our third round is very successful…In terms of progress that we achieved, it’s very substantive,” he said, noting that the talks covered market access for goods.

Gepty expressed hope that the FTA’s text would be stabilized during the fourth round.

He also said that the parties are on track with the target to conclude FTA negotiations within the year.

The Philippines and Canada launched FTA talks in October last year.

Once completed, the FTA with Canada would be the Philippines’ first free trade deal in North America.

In 2025, trade between the Philippines and Canada reached $2.15 billion.

Philippine exports to Canada amounted to $1.31 billion last year.

Meanwhile, goods imported by the Philippines from Canada were valued at $840 million in 2025.

The Philippine government is pushing for more FTAs to expand its export markets and open opportunities for Philippine businesses.

Last month, the Philippines concluded negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Chile. This marks the country’s first FTA in Latin America.

The Philippines also expects to conclude negotiations for its FTA with the European Union this year.