RP-EU partnership-agreement talks start
Business Mirror | Sunday, 08 February 2009
RP-EU partnership-agreement talks start
Written by Estrella Torres / Reporter
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.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said the PCA will open opportunities for greater collaboration that would stimulate trade and investments between the Philippines and the EU.
The PCA seeks wider cooperation in promoting peace and economic growth in the southern Philippines, good governance, human rights and climate change.
The bilateral agreement that was proposed in 2006 facilitates the development of sustainable-energy sources in the Philippines to help make the country become independent from foreign energy sources and help mitigate the negative impact of climate change.
However, the PCA also seeks to commit the Philippines to ratify the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court that tries war crimes, genocide and other crimes against humanity.
The Philippine military and police have been opposed to the ratification of the treaty as it provides for trial of individual leaders such as presidents, military and police commanders in the Hague in the Netherlands.
Romulo said the PCA have undergone interagency consultations since 2006 and has held exploratory talks
with the European Commission.
“The DFA will continue to consult with the various agencies and other bodies as the negotiation process unfolds. The Philippines will be the 5th ASEAN member to begin negotiations on the PCA with the EU,” said Romulo.
The EU has already concluded negotiations with Indonesia and is currently at an advanced stage with Singapore and Thailand. It has recently begun negotiations with Vietnam and is expected to soon start negotiations with Malaysia and Brunei.
The DFA chief said the PCA is highly significant to the Philippines to enable it to penetrate the 27 member-states of the EU with roughly 500 million people.
