The EU-Philippines Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) is under some suspicion since the details about the draft was not made available to the EU-ASEAN FTA Campaign Network (CN). According to a press release by the CN, they have urged the European Commission to divulge details about the content of the PCA. CN is a civil society network monitoring trade talks between the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
CN fears that the EU’s aggressive trade model perhaps be a doormat to the future FTA between both parties with the Philippines making too many concessions. The PCA is regarded has a pre-requisite to the signing of the FTA with the EU which includes issues like peace, security, human rights, protection of intellectual property and workers rights.
James Moran, director for Asia of the European Commission External Relations, said earlier during the talks for the PCA that the deal applies to all eventual signatories of the ASEAN-EU FTA. However, he had further clarified that it was a requirement for the signing of the FTA but not to begin FTA talks.
Alice Raymond of Task Force Food Sovereignty (TFFS) expressed concern over the PCA as to why it was shrouded in secrecy if it was for the mutual benefit of both parties. She further added that they had tried through all channels to get a copy of the draft in vain and also been ignored by the EC office in Manila.
Another official said the EU’s aggressive methods to force such agreements must be construed as their strategy to maintain and strengthen the EU’s competitive edge in the region. Amply Marciano of the Rural Women Congress questioned the authenticity of the deal and whether it implied the EU’s carrot and stick approach? She also said that the Philippine trade department’s track record was another worrying factor in the purportedly secret deal.