AMBASSADOR of Finland to the Philippines Saija Nurminen said the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between the European Union (EU) and the Philippines are expected to significantly expand bilateral market access.
In an interview after the Breaking Barriers: Diplomatic and Dabawenya Leaders Shaping the Future on June 24, Nurminen said the ongoing negotiations are being fast-tracked and are expected to conclude this year.
“Finland and the Philippines are, of course, focusing a lot on building their trade and economic relations. At the moment, the EU and the Philippines are negotiating a free trade agreement, which hopefully will be finalized this year,” she said.
The EU and the Philippines are actively negotiating a modern, comprehensive FTA aimed at securing duty-free market access and boosting trade.
Negotiations were initially launched in 2015 but stalled in 2017. Formal negotiations were resumed in 2024.
Nurminen said the agreement aims to invite more European investments into the Philippines while simultaneously opening European markets to local agricultural exports, particularly from the fruit-rich region of Mindanao.
“We hope that that will bring more Finnish and European companies to the Philippine market, but also open the European market to Philippine products,” she stressed.
She emphasized that Mindanao, being a big agricultural producer, the Finnish ambassador highlighted the high demand for agricultural products.
“If there would be a possibility to import your mangoes, I think it would make Finns very happy,” the ambassador remarked.
Beyond trade, the EU remains a primary financial supporter of development, peace, and conflict resolution efforts in Mindanao, particularly within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Nurminen expressed optimism that the combined momentum of the FTA and local peace initiatives will bring long-term economic growth and stability to the region.
The EU and the Philippines concluded the sixth round of EU-PH FTA negotiations in Manila on May 22, 2026.
