23 June 2026 — The Philippines’ Chief Negotiator for the Philippines-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Trade Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty keynoted the dialogue titled “Breaking Down Barriers: the Philippines-EU Free Trade Agreement” in Berlin. He then engaged in a lively and insightful exchange with participants from governments, the academe, the civil society, business and industry.
In his keynote, Undersecretary Gepty highlighted the strong momentum driving the ongoing FTA negotiations and underscored the shared commitment of both the Philippines and the EU to uphold an open, rules-based order, grounded in transparency, predictability, and high standards, through this FTA.
“(The Philippines) sees this FTA is not merely a market access instrument, but as a strategic framework for regulatory cooperation, sustainable growth, resilient supply chains, and good governance,” Undersecretary Gepty said. He also noted that the agreement, once finalized, would be the Philippines’ most comprehensive free trade agreement to date.
A speaker highlighted that a robust partnership with Southeast Asia, one of the most dynamic regions in the world, is becoming a strategic imperative for Europe. The Philippines has a special place in Southeast Asia, he said, as the country has demonstrated an impressive economic dynamism in recent years, benefiting from a young and highly educated and increasingly digital population, a growing middle class and a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem; and likewise offers significant opportunities in manufacturing, services, digital industries and infrastructure development. He added that, of equal importance, is that both the Philippines and the EU share the same values — a commitment to openness, international cooperation and a rules based international order.
Philippine Ambassador to Germany Maria Teresa Almojuela, in her closing remarks, provided the bilateral perspective. “This commitment (to an open, rules-based order) has been very visible at the bilateral level. Philippine-German bilateral relations have gained remarkable momentum, marked by high-level visits by both sides. The most significant ones — the working visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Berlin in 2024, followed by the recent visit of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Manila just last week, underscores a deepening partnership and a solid commitment to expand cooperation across multiple fronts, based on shared values,” she said.
“In my perspective, the FTA is a natural and strategic extension of an already robust partnership. At the moment, Germany is already the Philippines’ biggest trade and investment partner within the European Union,” she added.
The dialogue was organized by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, in coordination with the Philippine Embassy in Berlin, and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Berlin. It was held at the Johannes Gutenberg Saal of the Representation of the State of Rheinland Pfalz in Berlin. END
