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  1. Negotiations

Philippines

The Philippines signed its first bilateral FTA with Japan in 2006 and is presently party to the ASEAN FTA processes (China, India, Korea, Japan and Australia/New Zealand). The Philippine government has been trying to get Washington to offer an FTA, while those of New Zealand and Chile are apparently in favour of a bilateral deal with Manila. The Philippine government wants to join the TPP, and is engaged in efforts to lay the groundwork for negotiations with the EU for a possible FTA.

last update: May 2012
Photo: Michel Cermak/Twitter

Fewer jobs for Taiwan OFWs sans RP trade pact
12-Feb-2010 GMA News
Taiwan-based factories employing Filipinos may move operations to mainland China once the trade pact between China and Taiwan is signed. The Philippines should therefore sign an FTA with Taiwan to tap into the Beijing-Taipei deal, some argue.
EU pushes bilateral trade pact
19-Jan-2010
The Philippines might lose an opportunity to get first crack at negotiating a bilateral trade deal with the European Union as three Southeast Asian neighbors are already in line.
RP elections cast cloud on trade pact
14-Dec-2009 Business Mirror
Philippine elections pose uncertainty in the regional tariff regime, with neighbors wondering whether the new government next year can live up to its free-trade commitments with member-countrie
Philippines risks being left behind in free trade with Europe — think tank
17-Nov-2009
A private sector think tank yesterday pressed the Trade department to move faster on a free trade pact with the European Union (EU), citing research which points to gains awaiting several Philippine industries.
RP bizmen urging government to start bilateral talks with EU for FTA
17-Nov-2009
Filipino businessmen are asking the government to take the initiative in starting the bilateral talks between the Philippines and the European Union (EU) for a free-trade agreement (FTA) after a study made by a think tank showed that the country will benefit immensely from it.
RP, European officials meet to fine-tune framework pact
5-Oct-2009
Officials representing the Philippines and European Union will meet today to discuss a revised draft of a framework agreement that will govern the two economies’ relations which will pave the way for a free trade deal.
RP seeks slower tariff reduction for rice under Afta
14-Sep-2009
The Philippines is now negotiating for a slower reduction in tariffs for rice traded under a free-trade scheme among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
US businessmen perceive RP a ‘protectionist’ market
9-Sep-2009 Manila Bulletin
"When the USTR tried to have discussion with the Philippines on TIFA (Trade and Investment Facilitation Agreement) not much happened there because there is a perception that the Philippines is a protectionist and not really interested in opening up and that makes it so difficult," says the US Chamber of Commerce.
Development coherence in trade governance: Key to the rebuilding of the global economy
7-Sep-2009
The global crisis has one positive and liberating aspect—policymakers and even once-arrogant neoliberal economists are now openly questioning the wisdom of untrammeled liberalization. The present global recession has abundantly shown that liberalizing the financial and other economic sectors wholesale sans rules is a formula for disaster, be it applied in a developed market economy like the United States or in a small developing economy like Haiti.
Benguet farmers alerted on trade pacts
6-May-2009 MB
Associations of farmers and local government units in this vegetable-producing province and local governments were alerted on reports that the national government has entered into bilateral agreements and treaties on the trading of agricultural products.