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Philippines

Government balks at European Union rights standard
13-Feb-2009
Political concerns, particularly the country’s standard on human rights which is different from the European Union’s, will be a contentious issue in the draft of the proposed Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the EU, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.
Trade network urge RP and EU negotiators to disclose contents of Cooperation Agreement
11-Feb-2009
Reacting to news reports about the launch of the formal negotiations for a comprehensive partnership and cooperation agreement between EU and the Philippines, the EU-ASEAN FTA Campaign Network urged both the EU and Philippine governments to disclose to the public the contents of the cooperation agreement.
RP-EU pact contains migration provisions
10-Feb-2009 Inquirer
The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the Philippines and the European Union will contain provisions on migration and corruption.
RP, EU start negotiations on cooperation framework
10-Feb-2009 BusinessWorld
The Philippines and the European Union yesterday started talks in Manila for a general framework on bilateral cooperation that is requisite for a free trade agreement. The talks, which could take as long as two years to complete, will dwell on a wide variety of issues — from peace, security and human rights, to protection of intellectual property and workers rights.
RP-EU partnership-agreement talks start
8-Feb-2009 Business Mirror
The Philippines and the European Union (EU) will formally start on Monday the negotiations for the Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) that qualifies Manila to the comprehensive free-trade agreement between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that seeks to facilitate trade and investments between two influential regional blocs.
Philippine negotiator criticized for supporting EU proposal for bilateral trade negotiations
7-Feb-2009
The EU-ASEAN Campaign network, with members in Europe and Southeast Asia, assailed the statements made recently by Philippine Assistant Secretary Ramon Cabigting of the Department of Trade and Industry expressing support to the EU proposal to proceed with bilateral talks with the EU and the country’s willingness to liberalize its services sector.
EU, Philippines to resume talks on partnership deal
2-Feb-2009 BW
European Commission delegates will be arriving in Manila next week to continue negotiations for an agreement that will govern the two economies’ political and economic relations, officials said.
Trade roller-coaster: The ups and downs in 2008 and the road ahead
2-Feb-2009 Focus
It was a dizzying roller coaster-year for trade. As the multilateral trade talks faltered, bilateral and regional free trade and economic partnership agreements on the other hand surged, fueled mainly by the aggressive push by the most powerful economies - the US, EU, Japan and China - of their respective brands of commercial diplomacy.
Jpepa implementation to cost BOC P12.5B in forgone revenues
18-Jan-2009 Business Mirror
The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC), the government’s second-largest revenue earner, said the implementation of Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) will hurt its collection for the year as it stands to lose billions of pesos.
Landmark Japan-Philippines trade deal: a recap
9-Jan-2009 BW
In the first part of this article, the issues that hounded the ratification of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) will be discussed, as well as the Senate Resolution that led to ratification.
Group files protest vs. poaching of Japanese tuna factory ships in RP
6-Jan-2009 GMA News
A national federation of small fisherfolk organizations in the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest Tuesday at the Japanese Embassy against poaching by Japanese tuna factory ships in waters off Aurora province.
Fishing group complains of ’gang rape’ of tuna in Aurora waters
31-Dec-2008 GMANews
The fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Saturday decried the "gang rape" of the country’s tuna stocks by Japanese, South Korean, and Taiwanese companies poaching in the portions of Philippine Sea in Aurora province.
Probe foreign poachers, DFA asked
24-Dec-2008 INQ
The Filipino fisherfolk group Pamalakaya is urging the Department of Foreign Affairs to investigate the reported entry of foreign fishing vessels allegedly feasting on rich tuna grounds in portions of the Philippine Sea. The fishing vessels are reportedly owned by Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese companies, and Japan has recently access to Philippine waters under JPEPA.
New rules will allow small RP banana farmers to sell to Japan
22-Dec-2008 GMA News
A final protocol for the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) allowing small farmers to sell bananas to Japan has been submitted and is up for comment, said a Bureau of Plant Industry official.
EU won’t renew special tariff rate for RP canned tuna
17-Dec-2008 GMA News
The European Union (EU) will not renew a special tariff scheme for canned tuna from the Philippines and two other Southeast Asian countries, offering, instead, increased market access for the product in its 27 member-countries via a free trade agreement, the top EU representative in the Philippines said in a news conference here Wednesday.
JPEPA takes effect Thursday
10-Dec-2008
The controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) takes effect Thursday, December 11, with simple ceremonies in Tokyo, Philippine labor attaché to Japan Danilo Cruz said Wednesday.
Customs ready to implement JPEPA today
10-Dec-2008
Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said yesterday that even if it leads to a loss in revenue collection, the agency is ready to implement the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
SC to include anti-JPEPA petition on en banc agenda next week - Marquez
9-Dec-2008 Balita
The Supreme Court of the Philippines will include in its agenda for next week’s en banc session the petition filed Thursday by a multisectoral group seeking the nullification of the implementation of the recently ratified Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
Japanese firms plan to transfer to Philippines
24-Nov-2008 Manila Standard
A number of Japanese firms have expressed intention to move their businesses to the Philippines once the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement takes effect next month, an official said yesterday.
Philippine fishers warn against sectoral talks in WTO
24-Nov-2008
A national coalition of 14 fisher federations in the Philippines warned against mandatory "sectoral" talks in the World Trade Organization, saying that it would only benefit rich countries that wanted more market access for their products. On Friday, which was World Fishers Day, about 200 members of Kilusang Mangingisda also picketed the offices of the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture and Asian Development Bank to protest against policies promoting fisheries trade liberalization.