Trade Assistant Secretary Allan Gepty (Photo from Presidential Communications Office facebook page)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has committed to adhere to international human rights conventions amid plans by the European Union (EU) to set a “higher bar” with “greater scrutiny” on beneficiary countries enjoying trade privileges, signaling its willingness to address a major concern that had tarnished the country’s reputation under its previous president.
Trade Assistant Secretary Allan Gepty said on Monday that the preferential trade arrangement that the Philippines enjoys under the EU’s GSP+ (Generalized System of Preferences Plus) is linked to its compliance with the 27 international conventions on human rights, labor, environment and good governance.
“With or without EU GSP+, the Philippines is committed to adhere to these conventions not only because they are treaty commitments but because it is our state policies to protect and respect human rights, protect and preserve the environment, protect labor rights and promote good governance,” Gepty said.
The EU GSP+ is the regional bloc’s preferential tariff system, under which the Philippines enjoys zero duty for more than 6,000 products until this year.
Its renewal has been put into question under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, stemming from criticism of his brutal war on drugs and its bearing on the human rights situation in the country.
According to the Department of Trade and Industry, the Philippines has 2.03 billion euros ($2.21 billion) worth of exports under the EU’s GSP+ scheme as of 2021, accounting for a 26 percent share of GSP+ exports to total exports.
Major exports under this scheme include crude coconut oil, prepared or preserved tuna and pineapple. Vacuum cleaners, spectacle lenses, new pneumatic tires of rubber, relays for voltage, bicycles and other cycles, footwear and industrial fatty alcohol are also included.
Gov’t always open
“We note that there are many issues raised against the Philippines with respect to our compliance, but the government is always open and willing to collaborate with the EU to clarify these issues and show our strong commitment to these principles,” he added.
He said this commitment had been demonstrated by the Marcos administration as early as last year when Philippine officials held a series of high-level engagements in Brussels, Belgium, with the EU Commission, the EU Council, the EU Parliament and several business groups.
“The Philippines is a strong and reliable partner of the EU in the Indo-Pacific region, and a stronger collaboration between the two will bring more positive results for our respective economies,” Gepty added.
Last week, EU Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore said the GSP+ would soon have a “higher bar” with “greater scrutiny” for human rights standards that beneficiary countries must comply with.
For the Philippines to have its GSP+ status renewed, Gilmore said that extrajudicial killings in the country must stop and that substantial improvements must be seen in the government’s efforts to pursue the legal accountability of those responsible.