Marcos tasks DTI chief to follow up on PH-EU free trade talks

President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. tasked Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual to make the necessary follow-through to ensure the resumption of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between the Philippines and the European Union (EU).

In his arrival speech following his week-long visits to Germany and the Czech Republic, Marcos reiterated that both European nations supported the Philippines’ bid to seal an FTA with the EU.

“In this regard, I authorized Secretary Fred Pascual to make the necessary follow-up of the progress of the FTA discussions at the EU headquarters in Brussels,” the President said.

The President had earlier said the FTA was always raised when dealing with EU member states as it was necessary for discussions on partnerships and joint ventures.

In July last year, Pascual said that FTA talks between the Philippines and EU would commence “by way of scoping.”

To recall, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had announced that the EU and the Philippines were relaunching negotiations for an FTA as both parties were working on setting the "right conditions."

The exploratory FTA talks between the Philippines and the EU began in 2013, while the launching of negotiations was announced in December 2015.

The first FTA negotiations were held in Brussels, Belgium in 2016, followed by a second round of negotiations in Cebu, Philippines in 2017. The FTA talks have been idle since. — DVM, GMA Integrated News