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 (including Geographical Indications), 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 PH-EU FTA is most comprehensive trade agreement the Philippines has pursued to date. New areas being negotiated include Government Procurement, Digital Trade, Energy and Raw Materials, and Trade and Sustainable Development.

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

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 neighbourhood. Led by Deputy Director General Luisa Santos and including members from sectors like spirits, chemicals, defense, and services, the meeting facilitated the exchange of views and interests in the FTA.

In the Philippines, the DTI convenes consultations on the FTA through its “One Country One Voice” platform, held before or after each negotiating round. Lead negotiators from other Philippine government agencies also conduct their own consultations, focusing on their respective chapters.

In 2024, total trade between the Philippines and the EU reached USD 15.5 billion. The EU stood as the Philippines’ fifth-largest trading partner, representing 7.7% of the Philippines’ total trade. Philippine exports to the EU amounted to $8.1 billion, while imports from the EU were $7.5 billion. Moreover, the country’s utilization of the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus reached a record rate of 80.3% in 2024.

The PH-EU FTA is an important element of the Philippine trade agenda and is aligned with the Philippine Development Plan’s (2023-2028) directive to advance purposive, assertive, and forward-looking free trade agreement strategies. As one of the country’s top trading partners, the FTA with the EU is expected to establish a more predictable and stable trading environment, further enhancing the benefits under the EU GSP+ scheme.

The Philippine Business and News (THEPHILBIZNEWS) has received a citation from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) for innovation in media at the recently held Gawad Yamang Isip Awards.

Monsi Alfonso Serrano, President and CEO of the independent online news outfit, received the award for Best Independent Platform for IP News, from IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Trade and Industry Undersecretary Allan Gepty received the IP Champions award for greatly contributing to the development of the IP system in the Philippines.

Other recipients of the IP citations include Dr. Armando Reosura and Dr. Lizah Dorao-Pascual for inventor assistance program, and Amina Aranaz-Alunan for women in IP.

Recipients for enforcement includes World Intellectual Property Organizations (WIPO-Building Respect for IP Division and Judicial Institute), Giannmatteo Vittorio Guidicelli, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, Associate Justice Maria Rowena Modesto-San Pedro, the Bureau of Customs, Manix Abrera, the National Book Development Board, PLDT/Smart, Globe Telecom, SkyCable Corporation, and Dito Telecommunity.

The other recipients of the IP citations for media are Daily Tribune and Radyo Pilipinas.

The WIPO National Award was conferred to Engineer Mark Kennedy Bantugon, who invented the Pili Seal, a sustainable aviation sealant crafted from the often-overlooked waste material of the pili tree resin.

WIPO also recognized 2023 socially relevant technologies from the following: The Bansud National High School-Regional High School for Mimaropa for its “chitosan-loaded cellulosic membrane for wastewater filtration derived from acetobacter xylinum and Philippine blue-eyed sea urchin shell wastes,” the Technological University of the Philippines for its “automated superworm segregation system for multiplastic biodegadation using ESP32 with computer vision for real-time monitoring via mobile application,” and Mapua University-Intramuros for its “automated levelling delivery bracket attachment.”

In the professional category, WIPO recognized Session Groceries for its “ugly to agri” processing technology, Vision Technologies Corp. for its vision-based traffic information analysis, and Lithos Manufacturing for its foldable tank with zeramic filter (rainwater harvesting system for water security in remote areas).

The Gawad Yamang Isip awards, which recognize Filipinos who used the IP system to advance the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), were awarded to D&L Industries, for its Laurin CocoMCT, the concentrated form of all-natural coconut oil; Stanley Ruiz, for industrial design, particularly the use of “bakong,” the aquatic plant, into biocomposite bins and other biodegradable material;

Performer Gary Valenciano for his support and advocacy of IP, specifically copyright; glass sculptor Ramon Orlina for his dedication to his craft and his proactive stance on copyright registration; and the social enterprise Rag2Riches for transforming unwanted fabric into bags and other fashionable products.