ISDS Case Map
Philippines
Negotiations regarding the Philippine-Japan trade accord may be delayed until 2006, four months behind the government's schedule, because of the continued delay in the proceedings.
AKBAYAN Rep. Mayong Aguja today scored the Department of Trade and Industry and the Executive for failing to fully disclose and inform the public of the exact contents of the Japan Philippines EPA.
Trade and Industry Secretary Peter B. Favila said the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and the US is not in the agenda of President Gloria Arroyo's state visit to the US.
Ford Motor Group in the Philippines has put up a strong pressure on the government against signing a free trade pact with Japan that will put its assembly and exports program in the country at a disadvantage over Japanese assemblers.
The Philippines-US Trade and Investment Council (TIC) recently held a bilateral consultation. The Philippine panel was informed during the TIC that the US Trade Representative will soon publish the results of a study on the prospects of an ASEAN-US FTA.
The Philippines Department of Trade and Industry said it will begin a study in preparation for negotiating a free trade agreement with the United States. The study is expected to be completed in September and the results would be validated through regional public consultations starting in October.
Baby steps have begun in engaging the United States on a possible trade pact, the Philippines' trade department said in a report to President Arroyo.
The likelihood of forging the US-Philippines free trade agreement (FTA) largely hinges on the Philippine agricultural sector in folding into the proposal.
While the Philippines and Japan still remained locked on three issues to finalize their Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), both parties have agreed in principle for a zero for zero arrangement on the trade of garments and textile.
An American expert on international trade and business practice has underscored the benefits for the Philippines to begin negotiating for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
