The Fourth Joint Committee Meeting between the European Union and the Philippines was convened on 3 December in Manila.

The Joint Committee reviewed on-going bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation under the EU-Philippines Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), building upon the outcomes and recommendations of the four subcommittee meetings (on Trade, Investment and Economic Cooperation; Maritime Cooperation; Good Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights; and Development Cooperation) held in 2024. They discussed possible future cooperation initiatives in a number of areas, to ensure that the partnership remains adaptive to mutual interests and concerns and responsive to global challenges, while strengthening their collective role in regional, multilateral and international affairs. The discussions opened the way for the development of Global Gateway investment projects in key areas, starting from the Green Economy sector. 

As partners for peace and development, they reaffirmed their collective efforts to build and enhance local capacities, particularly in the areas of good governance, rule of law, justice reform, economic development and social inclusion.

Recognising that climate change is a global challenge that requires collective action, the Joint Committee reaffirmed their commitment to continue working together on environmental sustainability, disaster risk reduction and management, and combating environmental degradation and climate change, while fostering economic growth and social inclusivity.

They welcomed the successful conclusion of the first round of negotiations for the EU-Philippines Free Trade Agreement (FTA), as well as the increase in the Philippine utilisation of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+). As key trade partners, they discussed opportunities for further collaboration on critical raw materials, agriculture and fisheries, and addressing market access issues.

They committed to uphold the core international human rights instruments, including the effective implementation of fundamental labor rights, and address other key issues of mutual concern, including the rights of women, children, youth, persons with disabilities, LGBTIQ community, indigenous peoples, migrants and refugees. They called for respect for international humanitarian law in times of rising geopolitical tensions, emphasising the need for accountability for violations and abuses. They also committed to protecting human rights defenders from violence and harassment and ensuring the freedom of civil society.

They recognised the strengthening of EU-ASEAN ties over the years, spanning ASEAN’s Political-Security, Economic and Socio-Cultural pillars. They commended the Philippines for its coordinatorship of ASEAN-EU relations from 2022 to 2024, highlighting the success of the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit on 14 December 2022 and the 24th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting on 2 February 2024. They looked forward to the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship in 2026.

The Joint Committee underscored their commitment to upholding the rules-based international order and respect for the principles of international law and the UN Charter. They reaffirmed their commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes, including through dialogue and consultation.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to respect freedom of navigation and overflight as provided for in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They expressed their concerns about illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive measures against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea. They reiterated their commitment to upholding UNCLOS and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award.

The EU and the Philippines reiterated their condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and expressed their full support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. They renewed their call for achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on international law, including the United Nations Charter and underlined the importance of preventing further escalation of the war as well as the use or threat of use of weapons of mass destruction by any country.

Regarding future directions, they agreed to jointly develop a concrete action plan to strengthen and deepen their relationship by outlining areas of cooperation, building upon existing EU-PH cooperation and aligning with the framework of the PCA. In this context, they mentioned Enhancing Security Cooperation in and with Asia (ESIWA), Critical Maritime Routes Indo-Pacific (CRIMARIO), cybersecurity, and foreign information manipulations and interference (FIMI), among others.

The Philippine delegation was headed by Hon. Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the EU Delegation, by Niclas Kvarnström, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the European External Action Service. Representatives from Philippine government agencies, the EU institutions, and the EU Member States participated in the meeting.

The next Joint Committee meeting will take place in Brussels, Belgium in 2025.