ISDS Case Map
Philippines
The Government is sending a team to Europe later this month for talks about possible free trade agreements (FTA) with two European blocs, a Trade official said last week.
"We will be sending a delegation to Europe third or fourth week of November to continue technical discussions on a possible Philippines-EU (European Union) FTA in Brussels and Philippines-EFTA (European Free Trade Association) FTA in Geneva," Trade Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal, Jr. told reporters last week.
The Philippines and four countries in Europe that are not part of the European Union are eyeing a free trade deal, the Department of Trade and Industry said.
A possible free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and Switzerland may push through as the two countries are set to sign a separate agreement creating a commission to lower tariffs and increase trade.
With its rapidly aging population, Japan will need to increasingly rely on help provided by foreign health care workers.
In the wake of recent pronouncements from the Philippine government of its proposal to begin
bilateral free trade negotiations with the European Union this month, the EU-ASEAN FTA
network expresses its serious concern that the proposed agreement would be too ambitious for
the Philippines, erode people’s rights and undermine development.
Thailand and the Philippines are among countries that have recently expressed an interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) bandwagon with the other 11 stakeholders. US Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Jose Fernandez said the matter had been the subject of further discussion on his recent visit to both countries.
Philippine Department of Trade and Industry officials will likely confer the European Union early March on moving forward the ongoing process to forge a free trade agreement that will give the Philippines better access to the world's single largest market.
Visiting EU Parliamentarians expect the bilateral free trade agreement between the Philippines and EU will be completed in one and a half years as the legislators urged for further opening of the domestic economy to shore up the country’s foreign direct investments and more trade.
Statement issued by the EU-ASEAN Network in connection with the European Union - Philippines Inter-parliamentary Meeting where seven Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the Delegation of the European Parliament for Relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are visiting the Philippines from 11-15 February 2013.
A statement of concern from the EU-ASEAN FTA Network-Philippines
