PHILIPPINES AND GERMANY GEAR UP FOR THE
PHILIPPINES-EUROPEAN UNION FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
10 June 2026 – Ambassador Maria Teresa T. Almojuela and German Asia-Pacific Business Association (Ostasiatiche Verein e.V. or OAV) Chair Dr. Arnd Nenstiel discussed steps to further advance Philippine-Germany bilateral economic relations amidst a strong momentum in political ties, as both countries looked ahead to the visit of President Frank Walter Steinmeier to the Philippines on 15-16 June 2026.
With Germany as the Philippines’ biggest trading partner in Europe, both sides are gearing up to reap the promise of the Philippines-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The FTA, which has reached the final stages of negotiations, represents a critical opportunity for scaling up trade and investment.
Present during the meeting were OAV‘s new Managing Director Anna-Lena Schütte, Minister and Consul Mary Luck Hicarte, and Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Berlin Head and Commercial Counsellor Nicanor Bautista.
OAV was founded in 1900 as a lobbying platform for North German trading houses, and has since become Germany’s nationwide representative in engaging Asian economies. Dr. Nenstiel was elected Chair of OAV on 24 November 2003, having been a member of the association’s Executive Committee since 2016. END
