THE Philippines is seeking broader preferential access to the European Union market through a free trade agreement (FTA), before its benefits under the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) expire, Trade Undersecretary Allan Gepty said on Tuesday. GSP+ is a special EU trade program that grants eligible developing countries duty-free access to about two-thirds of EU tariff lines. In exchange, beneficiary countries must implement international conventions on human rights, labor rights, environmental protection and good governance. The Philippines could lose its GSP+ eligibility after the World Bank classified it this year as an upper-middle-income country. The country’s gross national income per capita has reached $4,850, exceeding the $4,636 threshold. Under EU rules, a beneficiary may graduate from GSP+ if it retains upper-middle-income status for three consecutive years. The current EU GSP framework is also scheduled to expire at the end of 2027.   https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/09/24/business/top-business/ph-seeks-wider-eu-market-access-before-gsp-ends/2431761 (ICE SINGAPORE)

Fonte notizia: The Manila Times, 24 September 2026