The agreement will bring a number of benefits to both trading partners, including:
- liberalisation of more than 94% of all tariff lines, covering more than 97% of bilateral trade, which currently stands at €17.6 billion;
- clear rules in the field of public procurement. The Philippines will open its public procurement market to foreign bidders for the first time;
- better protection of intellectual property rights, including the protection of the EU list of geographical indications;
- clear and ambitious rules for digital trade that will facilitate cross-border digital business while ensuring data protection and consumer protection;
- transparent rules on sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical barriers to trade, which will facilitate trade and reduce costs for businesses, while ensuring high standards;
- ambitious commitments on sustainable development, with the Paris Agreement and respect for human rights as essential elements of the agreement;
- transparent and ambitious provisions in the field of energy and raw materials, which aim to ensure a level playing field and promote sustainable investments, in particular in renewables.
The agreement will not only strengthen trade and investment flows, but will also provide a stable and predictable business environment for exporters, service providers and investors on both sides. It will also contribute to the establishment of stable and predictable trade rules and resilient supply chains. This will further strengthen the EU’s strategic engagement with partners in the Indo-Pacific.
In 2025, the Philippines ranked 79th among the trading partners of the Republic of Slovenia. Trade in goods amounted to EUR 28.9 million, while trade in services amounted to EUR 10 million. Although the Philippines is not yet one of the most important trading partners of the Republic of Slovenia, the agreement will also bring benefits and create new opportunities for Slovenian companies, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The political agreement clearly reflects the joint efforts of the EU and the Philippines to establish a modern, fair and values-based trade partnership.
The agreement sets out a clear path towards the final conclusion of the agreement in the coming months. By then, the final technical details will have been finalised by both sides. This will be followed by a legal review of the text of the agreement, followed by a formal procedure for its conclusion.
Further information is available on the European Commission’s website .