bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

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


Free trade with Switzerland seen
A possible free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and Switzerland may push through as the two countries are set to sign a separate agreement creating a commission to lower tariffs and increase trade.
PHL studying FTA possibility with Taiwan for agri exports
The Philippines is conducting a feasibility study for a bilateral free trade agreement with Taiwan that would allow the export of farm products to the Taiwanese market.
Full-blown RP-Taiwan FTA mulled
A full-blown free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and Taiwan is being explored abandoning an earlier proposal to create a special economic corridor that would include only Subic and Clark freeport zones and Kaohsiung.
Time for an EU-PHL free trade deal — ECCP
The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) on Thursday said it is committed to support a Philippine-European Union free trade agreement, which it expects to possibly come about in the next three years.
Robust growth keeps PH on track to AEC 2015
In an interview with Rappler before the October 23 forum on ASEAN 2015, ASEAN Deputy Secretary General Dr. Lim Hong Hin said the Philippines’ progress in meeting the agreements under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has been significant.
EU threatens retaliation over sin tax bill
Philippine House of Representatives Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat warned that the free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union will be jeopardized if Philippine government fails to take a second look at the sin tax bill.
DTI spreads awareness of free trade agreements to increase their usage
The Department of Trade and Industry has intensified its information campaign about the country’s free trade agreements in a bid to increase their utilization rate this year.
Study to consider free trade agreement
The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) has finished a study that will look into potential industries that will benefit from a potential free trade agreement with Europe and recommend a scope of such an agreement.
Free trade agreements ’more political than economic’
State-owned think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said Free Trade Agreements are only political agreements more than economic.
Impact of EU trade pact studied
The government will soon start consultations to identify sectors that stand to gain or lose from a free trade agreement with the European Union (EU), a senior official told reporters on Friday.