MANILA, Philippines – The European Union (EU) has warned that if the Philippines continues to drag its feet on a possible Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the EU might not be able to accommodate the Philippines anymore because it is processing several agreements with other Asian countries.
This comes at a time when even Vietnam has already overtaken the Philippines in terms of exports of manufactured goods to the EU.
“We can only process a certain number of FTAs at a time,” EU Ambassador Alistair MacDonald told reporters after his speech during the second day of the Philippine Business Conference (PBC) at the Manila Hotel.
According to MacDonald, they are already in the process of negotiating FTAs with Korea and Malaysia. Vietnam, for its part, recently started the negotiations.
Trade Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr. has already said that the FTA with the EU may take between four to six years to complete. “It entails a lot of work for all of us.”
He explained that FTAs should not be entered into lightly. In fact, the current FTAs of the Philippines has been underutilized. “Our own business sector has not been taking advantage of the opportunities with FTA,” he noted.
MacDonald said that Vietnam has overtaken the Philippines in terms of exports at an alarming speed. “Philippine exports to the EU fell rapidly more than other ASEAN countries’ exports to the EU, just as over the last six years or so Philippine exports to the EU rose more slowly than other ASEAN countries’ exports to EU,” MacDonald said.
The EU is the largest single export market of the Philippines accounting for 21 percent of the country’s total merchandise exports in 2009. The United States was only at 18 percent, Japan 16 percent, ASEAN 15 percent, Hong Kong eight percent and China eight percent.
The Philippines already has a Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the EU. MacDonald explained that the PCA is not an FTA and does not include specific trade concessions by either party. It is expected to be signed in December. –Ma. Elisa P. Osorio (The Philippine Star)
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
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!
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September –
5 Sept – Intl Day of Charity
7 Sept – Intl Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
8 Sept – International Literacy Day
12 Sept – United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 Sept – International Day of Democracy
16 Sept – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
17 Sept – World Patient Safety Day
18 Sept – International Equal Pay Day
21 Sept – International Day of Peace
26 Sept – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
27 Sept – World Tourism Day
28 Sept – International Day for Universal Access to Information
29 Sept – International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
30 Sept – World Maritime Day
Monthly Observances:
Health, Safety and Sanitation Month
National Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month
National Peace Consciousness Month
Social Security Month
Rule of Law Month
National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 4)
Weekly Observances:
Sept 17 – 23:
World Clean and Green Week
Week 2: Education Week
Week 4: Medicine Week
Last Week: National Family Week
Daily Observances:
Third Saturday:
International Coastal Clean-up Day
Third Monday: World Health Day
Last Friday: National Maritime Day
Sept 8: National Literacy Day
Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day
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