PEZA upbeat on European Union investment boost from FTA

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February 21, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is upbeat that it will attract more investments from the European Union (EU) amid progress in negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA). 

In a statement, PEZA director general Tereso Panga expressed confidence that more EU firms would expand or set up operations in the Philippines once the Philippines-EU FTA is finalized. 

“We are confident that the finalization of the Philippines–EU FTA will open new opportunities, attracting more European investors to expand and establish operations in the Philippines, create more jobs for Filipinos, boost economic growth and further strengthen our position as a key investment hub,” Panga said. 

PEZA recently welcomed the delegation of the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (EU-INTA) as part of the latter’s trade mission to advance the Philippines-EU FTA. 

During the meeting with the EU-INTA delegation, Panga presented the advantages of locating within PEZA ecozones and assistance being offered by the agency to investors. 

The government wants to position the Philippines as a competitive location in Southeast Asia for EU firms engaged in electronics manufacturing and supply chain services, digitalization and renewable energy development. 

EU Ambassador Massimo Santoro and INTA chair Bernd Lange expressed optimism in EU–Philippines relations and underscored the importance of the EU Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) in trade ties. 

Under the EU GSP+, the Philippines can export 6,274 products to the bloc at zero tariff. 

The EU GSP+ supported €2.2 billion in Philippine exports in 2024 and enabled stronger micro, small and medium enterprise participation in European value chains. 

Total trade between the EU and the Philippines reached €16.8 billion in 2024. 

With the EU GSP+ set to expire by the end of 2027, the Philippines and the EU are aiming to conclude FTA negotiations within the year. 

As FTA negotiations between the Philippines and EU progress, PEZA said it remains committed to translating economic cooperation into measurable outcomes.

At present, PEZA hosts over 190 locator companies with EU equity and cumulative investments worth over P400 billion. These companies support over 430,000 Filipino jobs nationwide.