The ASEAN-EU Free Trade Agreement: Issues and Problems for Philippine Agriculture
The proposed free trade agreement between the Association of SoutheastAsian Nations and the European Union of the ASEAN-EU FTA is certainlya source of concern. For one, it is within the same neoliberal frameworkof further prying open trade and investments in developing countries.Such neoliberal trade and investment pattern failed to usher its promiiseddevelopment in poor countries supposedly through increased tradeopportunities with developed countries and increased investments andjob and income generation in developing countries. This model has alsobeen proven to be devastating to vulnerable sectors such as agriculture which constitute a huge percentage of the economy of many developingcountries including the Philippines. Unfortunately, FTAs also strip devvelopingcountries of policy space and mechanisms that can protect theaffected sectors.