SINGAPORE, 06 November 2025 – His Excellency Artis Bertulis, the Ambassador-designate of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to the Republic of Singapore, paid a courtesy call on Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Medardo G. Macaraig today at the Philippine Embassy.
During their meeting, the two heads of mission exchanged views on key international and regional developments and reaffirmed the mutual commitment of the Philippines and the EU to strengthening longstanding bilateral ties.
Ambassador Macaraig and Ambassador-designate Bertulis expressed optimism on the ongoing EU initiatives to pursue bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with individual ASEAN member states, including the Philippines. They agreed that these bilateral FTAs serve as important building blocks towards a future EU-ASEAN bloc-to-bloc FTA, which both sides regard as a long-term strategic goal.
Beyond trade and economic cooperation, the envoys noted the steady progress in EU-ASEAN collaboration across multiple sectors, reflected in regular dialogues on skills development, education, environment, climate action, and sustainability. Both sides acknowledged the value of widening cooperation to address shared challenges and unlock mutually beneficial opportunities.
Citing the EU’s extensive experience and mature regulatory frameworks in the energy sector, particularly in power grid governance, Ambassador-designate Bertulis reaffirmed the EU’s interest in supporting ASEAN’s efforts to develop transparent, harmonized policy and regulatory frameworks for the ASEAN Power Grid (APG). Ambassador Macaraig welcomed this commitment, noting its relevance to regional energy connectivity and sustainability priorities, including under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship in 2026.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to further deepen EU-Philippines and EU-ASEAN relations, anchored on a partnership that continues to evolve and expand in support of regional stability, sustainable development, and economic resilience.
The relationship between the Philippines and the EU is a longstanding one that has broadened and deepened significantly in recent decades. The EU opened its Delegation in Manila on 15 May 1991. The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which entered into force on 01 March 2018, now provides the overarching legal framework guiding EU-Philippines relations – from political dialogue and trade, to governance, sustainable development, and people-to-people exchanges. END.
