The Philippines and Canada will hold the first round of bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations from Feb. 18 to 20 in the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced. The talks were agreed upon by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during their meeting in Kuala Lumpur last October, with the goal of concluding the agreement within the year. Canadian stakeholders expressed strong support, highlighting potential benefits for trade in goods, services, energy, resources, and attracting foreign talent, while major export and import sectors—including electronics, machinery, cereals, and meat—are expected to benefit from reduced tariffs and trade barriers. At the 7th Philippine-Canada Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, both sides emphasized advancing economic cooperation, energy security, critical minerals, and cybersecurity. Officials described the FTA talks as a milestone, reflecting strengthened relations and a shared commitment to a stable, predictable trading environment.
PHILIPPINES, CANADA TO BEGIN FIRST ROUND OF FTA TALKS NEXT WEEK
Latest from News
The Department of Health (DOH) reported that 51 percent of pregnancies in the Philippines are unplanned,
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) celebrates its seventh anniversary, highlighting the Expanded
The Philippines and Italy signed a new bilateral defense cooperation agreement, replacing an expired memorandum of
The Philippine National Police will deploy over 11,000 personnel to ensure safety and security during the
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the inauguration of the rehabilitated Mahayag Dam in Zamboanga del Sur,