Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual expressed confidence that EU will renew the Philippine  privileges under its Generalized System of Preferences+ (GSP+) stating the government is conscious of its obligations on human rights, labor and governance.

Pascual cited the “very favorable view” from the visiting EU Parliamentarians of the Marcos administration relative to the previous administration during a chance interview with the press during the 2023 Annual Reception for the Banking Community of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Friday, Feb. 24.

He noted that the delegation, seven of them,  represented all the major parties in the EU Parliament not just one side but from the “left most to the right most and parties in between.”

The DTI Secretary who went to EU last year and talked with the top leaders of the EU said that the recent visit by the EU Parliamentarians somehow gave an indication of good prospects on the Philippines GSP+ benefits.

Pascual noted that the Philippines already provided the EU all the facts and the working task force already completed their recommendations to the EU Parliament. Thus, he surmised that the visit could be a “follow up” to the previous representations by the Philippine government last year.

Pascual met with top EU Commission officials during his visit last year to Brussels while a group of Senators also met with the EU officials to convince them to renew the Philippine GSP+ privileges. If judged by the message of body language, Pascual was confident of a positive outcome.

“I think we were heard otherwise why send a delegation,” he said.

On the part of the Philippines, Pascual said the Marcos government is trying to comply with the GSP+ requirements.

“We are conscious of our obligation with respect to  human rights, labor and governance because these are the things that we are also promoting to improve the industries of the Philippines,” Pascual said.

He explained to them that the Philippines respects and tries to comply with all of its obligations under the GSP+. For instance, on labor relations he stressed that the country has not experienced any major labor strike, which must be telling of the country’s labor relations.

Since the GSP+ will expire by end this year, Pascual said the EU must have already make their decisions this year.  

Pascual further noted that some of the think tanks they have spoken with in EU stressed that EU should realize that among the countries in Southeast Asia, the PH is the closest to the EU because both shared the same common roots, democratic value.

The GSP+ is set to expire at the end of 2023. The European Commission proposed a revised scheme in September 2021 to better meet the needs of participating countries.

GSP+ allows the Philippines to enjoy zero tariffs on 6,274 products or 66 percent of all EU tariff lines. Some of the top Philippine GSP+ exports to the EU are crude coconut oil, vacuum cleaners, prepared or preserved tuna, hairdressing equipment, and prepared or preserved pineapple.