The European Union and the Philippines agreed on 24 July 2026 to upgrade their bilateral ties by launching an Enhanced Partnership, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas announced at a signing ceremony in Manila. The partnership will include more regular high-level dialogues, closer coordination on foreign and security policy, and stronger cooperation on trade, climate, digital issues, and connectivity. Kallas also confirmed the first-ever European Peace Facility assistance measure for the Indo-Pacific, worth €15 million, to strengthen the Philippine Armed Forces' maritime capabilities through non-lethal surveillance and monitoring equipment.
Kallas, speaking alongside Philippine Secretary for Trade and Industry Tess Lazaro, noted that the Enhanced Partnership is not merely a new label but will deepen engagement across multiple sectors. The announcement follows a meeting with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro on 23 July to discuss the European Peace Facility measure. The EU is already the Philippines' fourth-largest trading partner, with nearly €17 billion in annual goods trade, and Kallas said negotiations for a free trade agreement are entering the final stretch, urging flexibility to resolve remaining market access issues.
On regional security, Kallas reaffirmed EU support for freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea and commitment to the 2016 Arbitral Award, noting that the EU and its 27 member states had stated support for the award only days earlier. She also backed efforts by ASEAN and China to conclude a legally binding code of conduct in the South China Sea, stressing that disputes must be settled through dialogue, not coercion. Kallas thanked the Philippines for its principled position on Russia's war against Ukraine and its consistent support for the UN Charter, and noted that a Kyiv-Manila dialogue would take place immediately after the press conference to further align positions.
The statement also addressed the situation in Myanmar, which Kallas described as Asia's deadliest ongoing conflict, calling on the military regime to stop attacks against civilians, allow humanitarian access, and create conditions for an inclusive political process. Kallas congratulated the Philippines on its ASEAN chairmanship and expressed hope for elevating EU-ASEAN relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership by 2027.
The Enhanced Partnership is expected to create new opportunities for businesses and strengthen supply chains, benefiting citizens in both the Philippines and the EU. The European Peace Facility measure, the first of its kind in the Indo-Pacific, signals Europe's growing role as a security partner in the region. No immediate timeline for the free trade agreement conclusion was provided.