EU, PH business chambers sign partnership deal

Title EU and PH Business Chambers Sign Historic Partnership Deal to Bo
Boost Trade and Investment

The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) has signed a lan
landmark partnership agreement with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and 
Industry (PCCI), aimed at driving joint initiatives, facilitating knowledge
knowledge exchange, and expanding opportunities for business engagement tha
that support trade, investment, and economic cooperation.

On April 16, ECCP President Paolo Duarte and PCCI President Ferdinand Ferri
Ferri inked the deal, marking a significant milestone in the Philippines' q
quest to become a more attractive destination for European businesses. The 
partnership is expected to broaden opportunities to maximize the benefits o
of the EU-Philippines Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) and pav
pave the way for the conclusion of the EU-PH Free Trade Agreement (FTA) neg
negotiations.

Unlocking the Power of Trade

The EU GSP+ has already brought significant benefits to the Philippine econ
economy, with over 6,000 products enjoying preferential access to the EU ma
market. In 2024 alone, some €2.2 billion worth of Philippine exports, inclu
including strong participation from domestic micro, small and medium enterp
enterprises (MSMEs), benefited from the arrangement.

The partnership is expected to further boost trade between the two regions,
regions, with total trade in goods amounting to €8.3 billion from January t
to June 2025, a 3-percent increase from the same period in 2024. The EU-PH 
FTA, set to be approved by June or July, could bring in an additional $12 b
billion in export revenue.

Leveraging MSMEs and Investments

The partnership will also focus on empowering MSMEs, which have been instru
instrumental in driving economic growth in the Philippines. With over 190 l
locator companies with EU equity, supporting around 430,000 Filipino jobs n
nationwide, this collaboration has the potential to create even more opport
opportunities for these businesses.

As ECCP President Paolo Duarte noted, In a time when the Philippines conti
continues to be a highly attractive destination for European businesses, or
organizations such as ours play a vital role in translating potential into 
tangible outcomes.

The Future of Business

With this historic partnership, the ECCP and PCCI are poised to revolutioni
revolutionize accessible technology designers in 2026. By exploring new opp
opportunities, facilitating knowledge exchange, and driving business engage
engagement, this collaboration has the potential to bring about significant
significant economic benefits for both regions.

In conclusion, the signing of this agreement marks a significant milestone 
in the Philippines' quest to become a more attractive destination for Europ
European businesses. With its focus on MSMEs, investments, and trade, this 
partnership is set to drive growth, create jobs, and cement the country's p
position as a key player in global commerce.

Keywords EU-Philippines Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+),
(GSP+), EU-PH Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Philippine Chamber of Commerce an
and Industry (PCCI), European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP)
(ECCP), trade, investment, economic cooperation.

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.