The EU and Philippines convened the Fourth Subcommittee Meeting on Good Governance, Rule of Law, and Human Rights under the Philippines-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) on 30 October in Manila.

The Co-Chairs underscored that the meeting provides a valuable platform for dialogue on how to sustain and further strengthen cooperation between the EU and the Philippines in their mutual pursuit of peace and prosperity for all Filipinos and EU citizens, based on their shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, in line with the essential elements of the PCA.

The EU and the Philippines reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting, protecting, fulfilling and respecting human rights. Both sides recognized the achievements made in addressing human rights issues while acknowledging that challenges remain and must be tackled.

As this year’s host,  the Philippines underscored that it continues to adhere to international standards of human rights and remains open to constructive engagements with international bodies of the UN and the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). The EU welcomed the recent visits of UN Special Rapporteurs, and recognized the Philippines’ constructive engagements with them and its acceptance of 215 out of 289 recommendations during the 2022 Universal Periodic Review, encouraging continuous efforts for their implementation.

The EU noted the creation of the Special Committee on Human Rights Coordination (SCHRC) through an Administrative Order to sustain gains from the United Nations Joint Programme for Human Rights (UNJP), and for ensuring the involvement both of the Commission on Human Rights and of non-government organizations and civil society groups in its work.

The EU and the Philippines reaffirmed their commitment to the rule of law, due process, and human rights. They recognized the relevance of reported human rights violations and humanitarian laws globally and, in time of rising geopolitical tensions, they stressed the collective responsibility to uphold and promote the principles of the UN Charter.

The EU and the Philippines committed to continue protecting human rights defenders from violence and harassment and ensuring the freedom of civil society. Both sides underscored the challenges posed by “red-tagging” and recognized the efforts of the Philippines to address it through the decision of the Supreme Court. They underscored the importance of protecting human rights defenders. 

The EU expressed concerns about reports of enforced disappearances and the need to swiftly investigate all alleged cases. The Philippines informed about its efforts to address allegations of enforced disappearances through its legislation. The EU called on the Philippines to sign, ratify and implement the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

The EU and the Philippines engaged in extensive discussions on the freedom of opinion and expression, media and information pluralism, both online and offline, and digital rights. The Philippines informed about its efforts to review and adapt the libel and cyber libel laws in line with international human rights law.

The Philippines and the EU committed to taking proactive steps to respect, protect, and promote these rights, ensuring that media practitioners can operate in a safe and supportive environment. The EU noted updates provided by the Philippines on the cases of Percy Lapid and Maria Ressa.

The EU and the Philippines agreed on the importance of human rights based approaches to combating illegal drug use. The Philippines underscored its opposition to and condemnation of alleged extra judicial killings and underscored its efforts to provide remedies for victims, fight impunity and hold perpetrators accountable. The EU welcomed the positive developments regarding the case of former Senator Leila de Lima and noted the updates provided on the case of Diego Bello.

The Co-Chairs acknowledged the collaborative efforts of the Philippines and the EU to improve access to justice for all through the GOJUST II initiative, the program which aims to strengthen the justice sector, including the criminal justice system, bolster effective justice institutions, ensure access to justice for vulnerable groups, address any possible misuse of law, reduce prison congestion and promote evidence-based approach to justice.

The EU and the Philippines reiterated their mutual and continuing compliance to the 2^nd Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on prohibiting the death penalty, and the EU encouraged the Philippines to accelerate and finalize work to establish a national preventive mechanism against torture.

The EU and the Philippines also addressed other key issues of mutual concern, including environmental sustainability, climate change, and the rights of women, children, youth, persons with disabilities, LGBTIQ community, indigenous peoples, migrants and refugees.

They committed to strengthen their work to promote and protect in their societies freedoms of association and assembly, labor rights including the protection of trade unionists and workers, including within the framework of the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+).

The EU and the Philippines stressed the importance of combatting human trafficking and acknowledged their common efforts to fight corruption.

Other issues of common interest reviewed include cooperation in the context of peace-building in Mindanao, the right to development, business and human rights, environmental sustainability, climate change and its impact on human rights, including the protection of environmental and land defenders, climate finance adaptation, mitigation, and addressing loss and damage. They agreed to strengthen cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster preparedness and noted the usefulness of tools such as Copernicus.

The next Sub-Committee Meeting is set to take place in Brussels in 2025.

The Meeting was co-chaired by European Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Elena P. Algabre of the Department of the Philippines and Deputy Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific Paola Pampaloni of the European External Action Service (EEAS). It was attended by EU Member States, and Philippine government agencies.