The Philippines’ continued eligibility of the EU Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) Plus, accreditation of maritime schools, and fishing will top the economic issues that Philippine legislators will discuss with their EU counterparts, as both partners are moving forward to charting a new path in their bilateral economic and political relations under the new Marcos administration.

Senator Sonny Angara, who will be among the Senators participating in a meeting with EU Parliamentarians in October this year, said in a chance interview at the European Union Visitors Programme (EUVP) and Media Visitors program Friday, Aug. 26 that the Philippine delegation will primarily talk about the EU GSP Plus, which will have a new program effective January 2024. The Philippines is the only ASEAN country that continues to enjoy duty-free access on the exports of more than 6,000 products to EU.

They will also discuss the accreditation of Philippine maritime schools to ensure employment of Filipino seafarers on EU vessels. The senators will also discuss fishing issues.

On human rights, an issue that EU Parliamentarians raised as a major concern during the Duterte administration, Angara expects this issue to “die down” given President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s pronouncement of a still strong drug policy but of different method would have at least helped address the concerns of EU parliamentarians.

With that, Angara said the Philippine senators will be there in EU mainly to gauge the temperature of relationships and also to “reassure our colleagues of our commitment to shared values, including human rights, that the justice system is working, that there is accountability, no impunity.”

The Philippine delegation will also address other EU concerns like peace process, and raising the standard of living.

Angara said they will tie the issues of economic rights and social rights with civil and political rights because “unless we do well in the economic and social rights this will not improve because if a person is poor they don’t care about civil and political rights so we have to address them together, they are all human rights.”

Angara, however, would like President Marcos be given a chance to chart his own path on the bilateral relations with EU.

EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Véron said that he personally delivered an EU invitation for Marcos to attend the 45th Commemorative EU-ASEAN Summit in Brussels in December this year to which Angara expressed hope the president will accept.

Veron cited that relations are “very encouraging with new administration” noting that the new President is ready to engage with the EU. Visiting Brussels, he said, would be an opportunity, especially that the Philippines is leading the dialogue with EU-ASEAN dialogue for three years or until 2024.

“I’ve met with President Marcos a number of times and am very encouraged, and I only hope there will be personal engagement with the leadership in EU,” he said.