In a written answer on 16 July 2026, Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič confirmed that the European Commission is treating tuna as a sensitive product in ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the Philippines, aiming to protect the EU's tuna processing industry from additional competitive pressure. The answer, responding to a question from MEPs Gabriel Mato (PPE) and Francisco José Millán Mon (PPE), signals that the Commission will consider the cumulative impact of existing preferential arrangements, including the recently concluded EU-Mexico FTA, when finalising market access offers.
The question highlighted that the Philippines is already the leading ASEAN exporter of canned tuna to the EU and that imports cover about 50% of EU consumption. The MEPs warned that granting further preferences could harm the labour-intensive European processing sector, which handles 340,000 tonnes annually and supports many coastal communities.
Šefčovič noted that six negotiation rounds have taken place so far and that the Commission shares all text proposals and market access offers with the European Parliament and stakeholders. He stressed that the Philippines already enjoys duty-free, quota-free access for tuna under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences+ (GSP+) arrangement, with stable export volumes over the past decade. Therefore, the FTA would not open a new import flow but could consolidate existing trade patterns.
The Commissioner committed to taking into account the interests of the EU fleet and processing industry, the current and potential impact of imports, and the cumulative effect of other trade deals. However, the answer lacks concrete numerical targets, deadlines, or a specific impact assessment, remaining at the level of declaratory assurance. The Commission has not indicated whether it will conduct a dedicated study on the cumulative effects of multiple FTAs on the tuna sector.
Institutional follow-up is expected as negotiations continue, with the Commission likely to present a final market access offer that balances ambitions for a comprehensive agreement with sensitivity for the tuna sector. The European Parliament's INTA committee will scrutinise the outcome once concluded.