Trade chief: Philippines won't beg EU for trade perks

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government on Wednesday said it won’t beg for the retention of existing trade privileges granted by the European Union to the country as the results of the bloc's trade perks review loom.

In 2014, the Philippines was granted beneficiary country status under the General System of Preference (GSP+) — a preferential trade deal that allows 6,200 of its products to enter the EU market duty free.

However, the alleged cases of extralegal killings in the country as part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war have put at risk the country’s GSP+ privileges.

Results of the latest GSP+ review is expected to come out this month.

In an interview with ANC, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said that while the Philippines wants to continue enjoying GSP+, the country won’t press the EU to keep the said trade perks.

“Of course we don’t want to lose it but it’s unilateral. What if they decide rightly or wrongly? So we cannot do anything about that,” Lopez said.

“And our president, our administration will not be here to beg for the retention [of GSP+]. So that’s the point. That’s you know raising Filipino dignity,” he added.

Duterte easily won the race to Malacañang after promising to wipe out illegal drugs with an unprecedented campaign that would see thousands of people killed.

Duterte, who is sensitive to criticisms of his rights record, had repeatedly berated the EU and accused the bloc of hypocrisy and interference for expressing concern over the spate of killings under his fierce war on drugs.

EU envoy to Manila Franz Jessen earlier said there would be “no surprises” for the Philippines over the outcome of the bloc’s review on Manila’s compliance with requirements for GSP+, which included adherence to human rights and rule of law.

According to Jessen, “the picture is mixed” when it comes to the Philippines’ compliance with EU’s conditions.

“What we have seen is there has been good progress in some areas and less progress in other areas,” he said.

International financial institutions and donor governments usually set conditions for recipient countries in order to make sure that the grants are put to the use for which they are made.

“These are just commitments that you will... easy naman (that are easy to follow). You will just stay a civilized society... And we have no fear because our commitment is to stay as such. There’s no violation,” Lopez said.