The European Union has renewed its call for a free trade agreement with the Philippines.
According to Guy Ledoux, head of the EU mission’s delegation to the Philippines, Manila had yet to formalise its intention to negotiate a free-trade treaty after it was proposed last year. "The ball is in the Philippines’ court," Ledoux told reporters.
The EU is pursuing free trade talks with other Southeast Asian nations, including Singapore and Malaysia, after failing to broker one with the 10-nation ASEAN regional bloc.
The Philippines is part of an intra-ASEAN free trade area but has yet to sign a bilateral pact on its own.
Philippine exports to the EU stood at about $3.3 billion in 2009, according to the latest official data available.