EU Commission President Von der Leyen said she spoke with Philippine President
Marcos after EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Sefcovic and the
Philippine trade minister said negotiators have reached a substantive agreement
on a free-trade agreement, putting talks on a clear path to formal completion in
the coming months. They instructed teams to finalize the text promptly.
Officials said the FTA will deepen bilateral trade and investment, diversify and
bolster resilience amid global volatility, and is expected to open opportunities
for SMEs, farmers and manufacturers while providing fairer rules and greater
predictability.
