UK pushes for Philippine-EU free trade agreement
The British Embassy in Manila on September 26 pushed for the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and the European Union.
The United Kingdom, a member of the 27-member state bloc, supported the first in a three-series Southeast Asian trade forums “that seek to help small and medium-sized enterprises to benefit from trading arrangements,” which was held at the Asian Institute of Management.
During the forum, British Embassy in Manila charge d’affaires Trevor Lewis noted how the project can help small and medium enterprises “raise the utilisation of existing concessions with its FTA partners to boost the country’s gains from global trade.”
Lewis also expressed the British government’s support for an FTA between the Philippines and the EU. He said that the UK is looking forward to start trade negotiations with the Philippines.
A number of ASEAN countries have already signed “or are close to signing” an FTA with the bloc, for example with Singapore. The EU and ASEAN launched free trade talks in 2007, but abandoned them two years later, the EU choosing instead to conduct bilateral talks with individual members. The European Commission is already negotiating free trade accords with Malaysia and Vietnam and launched talks in March with Thailand.
The Philippines has been talking with EU regarding a free trade agreement, but there are no positive signs yet to the talks that have been going on for years.
The British Embassy in Manila on September 26 pushed for the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and the European Union. The United Kingdom, a member of the 27-member state bloc, supported the first in a three-series Southeast Asian trade forums "that seek to help small and medium-sized enterprises to benefit from trading arrangements," which was held at the Asian Institute of Management. During the forum, British Embassy in Manila charge d'affaires Trevor Lewis noted how the project can help small and medium enterprises "raise the utilisation of existing concessions with its FTA partners to boost...
The British Embassy in Manila on September 26 pushed for the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and the European Union.
The United Kingdom, a member of the 27-member state bloc, supported the first in a three-series Southeast Asian trade forums “that seek to help small and medium-sized enterprises to benefit from trading arrangements,” which was held at the Asian Institute of Management.
During the forum, British Embassy in Manila charge d’affaires Trevor Lewis noted how the project can help small and medium enterprises “raise the utilisation of existing concessions with its FTA partners to boost the country’s gains from global trade.”
Lewis also expressed the British government’s support for an FTA between the Philippines and the EU. He said that the UK is looking forward to start trade negotiations with the Philippines.
A number of ASEAN countries have already signed “or are close to signing” an FTA with the bloc, for example with Singapore. The EU and ASEAN launched free trade talks in 2007, but abandoned them two years later, the EU choosing instead to conduct bilateral talks with individual members. The European Commission is already negotiating free trade accords with Malaysia and Vietnam and launched talks in March with Thailand.
The Philippines has been talking with EU regarding a free trade agreement, but there are no positive signs yet to the talks that have been going on for years.
