The forging of a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the Philippines is essential to advance the chances of the country’s tuna products in the 27-member states, a European diplomat said. Ambassador Alistair H. MacDonald, head of the European Commission Delegation to the Philippines, expressed confidence that Europe and the Philippines would soon sign such agreement to benefit not only the tuna industry but also other economic and political partnerships. “The negotiations on this agreement were successfully completed in June, and the agreement should be signed in the next couple of months once the necessary formalities have been completed on both sides,” he told the recently concluded 12th National Tuna Congress in General Santos.

Sarmiento, R. S. (2010, September 10-11). RP-EU partnership for wider tuna market pushed. BusinessWorld, p. S1/8.