Philstar
Philippines, European Union to hold FTA talks next week
The Philippines and the European Union are working towards establishing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) before the current EU Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trading privileges expire in 2027.
Ambassador Massimo Santoro of the EU Delegation to the Philippines confirmed that FTA discussions are progressing positively, with the fourth round of negotiations scheduled for next week in Cebu City.
The resumption of FTA talks between the EU and the Philippines was announced in March 2024, after negotiations initially began in 2015 and were stalled in 2017.
The previous stalling of talks was attributed to the EU's concerns regarding former President Duterte's war on drugs.
Both parties are motivated to expedite the FTA process due to geo-economic concerns, including US President Donald Trump's protectionist trade policies, which fosters a mutual desire for swift results.
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