President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. touted the Philippines’ “much deeper interconnection” with the European Union. 

Marcos expressed his gratitude to EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Serge Gustave Eugene Veron during the latter’s farewell call in Malacañang on Thursday night. 

“You’ve been affixed here in all the work that we’ve been doing for the last three years since I’ve been President. And I think that in that time we really have seen a much deeper interconnection between the Philippines and the EU,” Marcos told Veron, as he cited the EU’s significant contributions to the Philippines. 

Veron was designated as EU Ambassador in November 2020 and arrived in the Philippines on 15 December of the same year.

He then presented his credentials in Malacañang on 10 February 2021.

Veron previously worked at European External Action Services (EEAS) and the European Commission. 

During the farewell call, Marcos conferred the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Grand Cross (Datu), and Silver Distinction (Katangiang Pilak) to Veron for his crucial contributions to strengthening the Philippine-EU bilateral relations. 

Marcos also cited Veron for promoting the rule of law and the rules-based international order as well as furthering the long-standing commitment and consistent contributions of the European Union toward securing peace and development in Mindanao, through the peace process, and grassroots development. 

The President also honored Veron’s huge contributions to the ongoing transition of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). 

The citation also mentioned Veron’s assistance “to obtain and provide humanitarian assistance to the Philippines in times of natural disaster and during the Covid-19 pandemic and for his many laudable initiatives to foster amity and mutual appreciation between the peoples of the Philippines and the European Union; have caused to be inscribed in the roster the order of Sikatuna.”

Veron was, likewise, honored due to his efforts “in the conclusion of numerous cooperation agreements, especially in the field of development cooperation, to support the Philippines' priorities in the fields of climate change, green and resilient economy, energy, digital connectivity, good governance, trade and investment, space science technology, and maritime cooperation and security.”

Marcos pointed out that the EU was one of the country’s steadfast development partners in pushing for the comprehensive peace process in Mindanao, particularly in the BARMM.

The President also recognized the EU’s strong support to the Philippines amid China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea. 

“The country expressing hope for the EU’s continued support in upholding a rules-based international order and rule of law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” Marcos said. 

Last month, the EU extended EUR 1.2 million (over PhP76 million) in humanitarian aid to families in the areas hardest hit by Typhoons Butchoy (Prapiroon) and Carina (Gaemi). 

Last year, the country’s total trade with the EU amounted to US$16.163 billion, with exports valued at US$8.374 billion and imports at US$7.789 billion.

The Philippines’ top exports to the EU include digital monolithic integrated circuits; semiconductor devices manufactured from materials on a consignment basis; coconut (copra) oil, crude; input or output units, whether or not containing storage units in the same housing; and storage units. 

On the other hand, the Philippines’ top imports from the EU include airplanes and other aircraft, materials, accessories, and supplies imported on a consignment basis for the manufacture of dice, medicaments, edible offal of swine, and digital monolithic integrated circuits.

In 2023, the EU approved  US$13.412 billion worth of investments from its Investment Promotion Agencies.