Marcos Jr. vows EU-PH free trade agreement will bring more jobs, investments
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. speaks before members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) and answers queries on various national and international issues during FOCAP’s Presidential Luncheon at a hotel in Manila on August 14, 2026. Noel B. Pabalate, PPA Pool/FileMANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed that the gains from the anticipated Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the European Union and the Philippines will reach Filipinos through job opportunities and investments.
The Philippines and the 27-nation bloc virtually sealed the deal during a phone call between Marcos Jr. and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday, September 22.
In a statement, the Philippine leader called the development an “important milestone in our strong partnership with the European Union and our shared commitment to open and fair trade.”
“The agreement will bring more opportunities for business and investment, create more jobs and support stronger and more diversified supply chains,” Marcos Jr. said.
“We will work to ensure that these opportunities reach our Filipino farmers, manufacturers, consumers and MSMEs, while opening new possibilities for the Philippines in AI, digital technologies and other important sectors,” he added.
Marcos Jr. is looking forward to the formal conclusion and eventual signing of the landmark agreement.
Von der Leyen is expected to return to Manila in 2027 to sign the FTA.
In a separate readout, the European leader welcomed the positive outcome and “thanked the negotiating teams for their hard work and commitment” spearheaded on the EU side by Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič.
The EU Commission noted that the “mutually beneficial agreement should bring tangible benefits, including new opportunities for businesses, more investment and more jobs.”
The deal will also “support shared priorities on sustainable development and the clean and digital transitions.”
“Given the challenging geopolitical and geoeconomic context, the two leaders also underlined the importance of working with likeminded partners across the world to ensure open, fair and predictable trade,” it stated.
The FTA’s conclusion comes three years after von der Leyen’s visit to Manila in 2023, when the two leaders agreed to relaunch the negotiations.