Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001506/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Jonas Sjöstedt (The Left)
The Commission announced the resumption of EU-Philippines free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations in March 2024.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s rule, the human rights situation in the Philippines has not significantly improved; drug-related killings have continued, and impunity persists. Political persecution of human rights defenders has increased, with an alarmingly high number of enforced disappearances and targeted fabricated charges related to alleged terrorism financing. In 2023, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights questioned the Philippines’ continued trade perks with the EU.
EU-Philippines FTA negotiations have resumed without a new human rights impact assessment (HRIA), despite the previous decision from the European Ombudsman that the Commission’s failure to carry out an HRIA, in relation to its negotiation of an FTA with Vietnam, constituted maladministration (1409/2014/MHZ).
- 1.What is the Commission’s response to the human rights situation in the Philippines, taking into account the recent disappearances of multiple human rights defenders and environmental activists?
- 2.How does the Commission take these concerns, including the decision from the European Ombudsman and human rights organisations, into account with regard to future EU-Philippines FTA negotiations?
- 3.Why has the Commission not carried out a new HRIA, and what would be required for this to be considered?
Submitted: 11.4.2025