PH hoped to keep engagement with EU members

THE EUROPEAN Union is hoping that President Duterte and his team will “maintain the same level of engagement” with the 28-member bloc as did the previous administration to secure the Philippines’ continued inclusion under the generalized scheme of preferences (EU GSP+).

The Philippines and other GSP+ beneficiaries were found to have made significant efforts to implement their commitments under the 27 international conventions, which were preconditions to the preferential deal. These findings were based on the first GSP+ monitoring cycle, according to Walter van Hattum, head of the economic and trade section of the EU delegation to the Philippines.

However, concerns have been raised by some quarters over the possible implication on the deal of the spate of “mysterious” deaths or the alleged summary killings in the Philippines, as President Duterte waged war against drugs. The EU GSP+ mandates a beneficiary country to comply with certain conventions that covered, among others, human and labor rights.

Serious violations of these conventions may result in the country’s temporary withdrawal from the EU GSP+, a preferential trade agreement that allows more than 6,200 products manufactured locally to be exported to the EU at zero tariff.

Van Hattum, however, said that a temporary withdrawal, in case a beneficiary country failed to meet its obligations, should be seen only as an “exceptional measure.”

“The EU has a system of monitoring GSP+ beneficiaries’ commitments under the GSP regulation subscribed to by each individual GSP+ beneficiary. There will be a monitoring mission by the Commission and the EEAS (European External Action Service) that will come to the Philippines later in the year,” Van Hattum said.

“While receiving preferential GSP+ access to the EU market, the Philippines committed to maintain ratification and ensure effective implementation of 27 core international conventions relating to human and labor rights, environment and good governance. The EU and the Philippines have held a positive and constructive dialogue on these conventions.”

“The EU looks forward to the Philippine administration maintaining the same level of engagement under the new leadership,” he said. Amy R. Remo