Photo Release

March 28, 2018

World Trade Organization (WTO): The Philippines, led by Senator Loren Legarda, has submitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) a notification on its ratification of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Legarda sponsored and successfully sought the Senate’s concurrence in the President’s ratification of the treaty. Upon the Agreement’s entry into force, the EFTA States—the Republic of Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Kingdom of Norway, and the Swiss Confederation—will abolish all customs duties on imports of industrial products, including fish and other marine products, originating in the Philippines. The Philippines, on the other hand, will gradually eliminate customs duties on industrial products, including fish and other marine products, originating in an EFTA State.

Legarda was joined by (first row, left to right): Philippine Mission to the WTO Chargé d' Affaires, a.i., Mr. Arnel Marcos Sanchez, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Dr. Ceferino S. Rodolfo, Ambassador-Designate and incoming Permanent Representative to the WTO, Undersecretary Manuel AJ Teehankee, Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Mr. Evan P. Garcia, Philippine Senate Inter-Parliamentary Relations Deputy Director General Ms. Ma. Esperanza Ayson, (2nd row): Mr. Anthony Aguirre of the Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations (DFA-OUIER), DFA Assistant Secretary Leo Herrera-Lim, and Philippine Mission to the WTO Commercial Attache Ms. Magnolia Uy.

Photos