EU has not been prioritizing bilateral free trade negotiations with the Philippines but rather put more importance on FTA talks with three countries Japan, Mexico and Mercusor even as the 28-member union expressed serious concern over alleged extra judicial killings that have been carried out in the country as a result of the government’s bloody war against illegal drug.
“The EU has a very busy trade agenda and the European Council identified the negotiations with Japan, Mexico and Mercosur as the priorities for 2017,” said Walter van Hattum, head of economic and trade section of the EU Delegation to the Philippines in an email interview with Manila Bulletin.
