EU to continue supporting Philippines development plans, envoy says  

January 16, 2017

The European Union will continue to support the Philippines on its development plan, including programs on human rights, its envoy said on Monday.

European Union Ambassador Franz Jessen, during the launching of the EU commemorative book "The Ties that Bind," said its engagement with the Philippines revolves around two anchors, its bilateral relationship and the EU-ASEAN relations.

"And we work with the Philippines in both areas in closer angles," he said as he expressed EU's support on the Philippines' ASEAN chairmanship this year.

Asked how EU intends to support the Philippines in area of human rights in the wake of the alleged extrajudicial killings under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, Jessen said EU works "hand in hand" with the different government agencies, such as the Supreme Court, Departments of Justice, Foreign Affairs, and Finance, and with local government units.

Jessen said EU monitors  the Philippines' compliance with with 27 core international conventions, including human rights protection, which serve as prerequisite for a country in order to continue its benefit under the EU's generalized scheme of preferences (GSP+).

He said the GSP+ was something the EU and the Philippines have agreed a year and a half ago and they are "monitoring the development. We go according to the schedule we have agreed sometime ago."

He stressed EU's judicial cooperation is "more important than before."

He said the EU is coordinating with the Department of Health regarding the assistance that it could extend in rehabilitating former drug addicts.

EU has raised concern over the increasing number of people killed in the drug war of the Duterte administration. EU's statement has earned the ire of Duterte.

The Philippines and the EU are set to hold the next round of talks in February regarding the free trade agreement that they hope to agree on, he said.

EU's bilateral trade with the Philippines significantly increased from 2.5 billion euros in 1990 to almost 13 billion euros in 2015.

The book that was launched encapsulates the years from the EU Delegation's establishment in the Philippines until present, Jessen said. Celerina Monte/DMS