by Danica M. Uy, Businessworld, Feb 27, 2017
THE GOVERNMENT’S representatives will be meeting with delegates from the European Union (EU) in September for the second round of free trade agreement (FTA) talks.
“We are looking sometime around September. No definite date but that is our estimate,” said National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Deputy Director-General Rosemarie G. Edillon in a phone interview last week.
The first round of discussions was held in Cebu two weeks ago with Philippine and EU delegates making sure their definition of terms are in sync.
“Between now and the next round, there will be an exchange of e-mails so hopefully we can have just one draft for the FTA,” said Ms. Edillon.
According to the undersecretary, the Philippines and the EU have separate drafts, which they plan to consolidate into a unified FTA by the third round of discussions.
“Our group is on trade and services. Our group has a text. EU has a text. So we need just one text. All this will have to be ironed out by the third round,” said Ms. Edillon.
“When it comes to tariffs, we’re looking at preferential tariffs, but that has to do with the schedule of commitments. We are not there yet,” said Ms. Edillon as she commented on specifics of the first round of discussions.
According to Ms. Edillon, the second round of discussions will be held “somewhere in the EU” with the government sending representatives from various government agencies and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as the chief negotiator.
The EU was the country’s fourth largest trading partner last year with Philippine imported goods amounting to $6.422 billion and exported goods amounting to $6.780 billion, bringing the balance of trade to $13.203 billion in 2016, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.
Ms. Edillon added that NEDA still has to come up with specific targets for trade with the EU.
In 2015, the Philippines’ main exports to the EU were office and telecommunication equipment, machinery, food products, and optical and photographic instruments, data from DTI showed.
Meanwhile, the main exports of the EU to the Philippines in 2015 were transport equipment, machinery, food products, chemicals, and electronic components. —
March –
IT’S WOMEN’S MONTH!
“Respect and support women
every day of the year/s!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week;
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and “
Made-in-the-Philippines Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
of the Girl Child Week
Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
March 4: Employee Appreciation Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
March 23: International Day for the Right to the Truth
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations
and for the Dignity of Victims
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 27: Earth Hour
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