THE sixth round of free trade talks with the European Union resumes May 18-22 in Manila, Trade Undersecretary Allan Gepty told reporters over the weekend.
Hopefully it would be the last round and that an agreement would be signed this year, Gepty said.
The fifth round was held March 2-6 in Brussels.
Negotiations began on Dec. 22, 2015 but was halted. It resumed in Brussels on March 18, 2024.
Once signed, the EU FTA could bring in $12 billion in additional export potential for the Philippines.
The European Union‘s Generalized Scheme of Preference Plus (EU GSP+), due to expire next year, will also be renewed, further increasing market access for Philippine exports.
The EU GSP+ is a special trade arrangement that grants developing countries duty-free access to the EU market.
Currently, more than 6,000 Philippine product lines enjoy preferential access, with utilization rate reaching 80 percent in 2025.
From January to June 2025, total trade in goods between the country and the EU amounted to €8.3 billion.
Data from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority shows the country hosts over 190 locator companies with EU equity, with more than P400 billion of cumulative European investments and supporting over 430,000 Filipino jobs nationwide.
Other FTAs expected to be completed this year are with Chile, Canada, and Asean-Canada.
