Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Secretary Ernesto Perez on Monday expressed optimism for a fair competition through regulatory practices and improved trade policy openness for the upcoming Philippines-European Union Free Trade Agreement (PH-EU FTA).

ARTA serves as the lead negotiator for the Transparency and Good Regulatory Practices (GRP) chapters of the FTA.

“We believe that these negotiations on Transparency and GRP will create a strong foundation for the overall PH-EU FTA and contribute positively to its successful ratification and implementation,” Perez said in a statement.

Representatives from the Philippine government and the EU held the third round of FTA negotiations in Brussels, Belgium from June 16 to 20, 2025. This follows the meetings in October 2025 and February this year.

These meetings came after initial negotiations, held in May 2016 and February 2017, were stalled due to EU’s concerns on humanitarian issues in the Philippines during that time.

EU is the domestic economy’s fourth-largest trading partner and a major source of foreign direct investments. (PNA)