EU FTA round 3 talks start rolling

Negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and the European Union (EU) entered a third round in Brussels, Belgium on 20 June 2025, marking a significant step forward in deepening bilateral trade and investment ties.

The negotiations were led by DTI Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty and Director Dora Correia from the European Commission’s Directorate General for Trade and Economic Security.

For five days, negotiators from both sides engaged in discussions across 19 key areas. These included trade in goods, rules of origin, services and investment, capital movements, payments, transfers and temporary safeguard measures, competition policy, customs and trade facilitation, digital trade, energy and raw materials, government procurement, intellectual property, mutual administrative assistance, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, state-owned enterprises, sustainable food systems, technical barriers to trade, trade and sustainable development, trade remedies, and legal and institutional.

The FTA with the EU is the most comprehensive trade agreement that the Philippines has pursued to date.

“The meaningful progress achieved in the negotiations thus far is a testament to the constructive spirit and commitment of both negotiating teams to finding mutually agreeable provisions. We will continue with this approach and look forward to commencing market access negotiations by the next round,” Gepty said.

“We remain steadfast in our common vision to conclude this FTA expeditiously, particularly in light of the evolving global trade landscape.”

High trade volume

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to crafting a comprehensive agreement that not only reflects modern trade priorities but also delivers tangible benefits for businesses, consumers, and stakeholders in both the Philippines and the EU.

At the sidelines of the third round, the chief negotiators met with BusinessEurope, a business organization representing 42 national business federations from 36 countries in the EU, European Economic Area and EU’s neighborhood.