MANILA - The European Union and the Philippines will restart negotiations on a free-trade agreement as they seek to accelerate “a new era of cooperation”, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday.
The EU is the Philippines’ fourth-largest trading partner and an FTA would be Manila’s second bilateral deal after Japan. Under the GSP+ scheme, which is extended to developing countries, Brussels cuts its import duties to zero on two-thirds of product categories in return for implementing 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights, the environment and good governance.Rights monitors and some EU members of Parliament have urged the EU to withhold a deal extension for the Philippines because of Mr Duterte’s anti-narcotics crackdown that claimed thousands of lives.
“Make no mistake – the human rights situation in the Philippines remains dire,” Mr Dam said in a statement.