The US-Asean Business Council is holding its annual business mission to the Philippines starting today and until September 18 where the delegation will conduct bilateral meetings with senior government officials and other priority stakeholders.
The council in its website said the mission hopes to foster stronger US-Philippines relationship through possible free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries and the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement .
The mission aims to achieve greater US company participation in policy exchange supporting flagship programs under the 10-point economic agenda of the Duterte administration.
The meetings will be an opportunity for the council members to promote open and free trade and address investment barriers through domestic reforms and amendments to the Public Service Act, the Foreign Investment Negative List as well as the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.
The council said the mission will also be an occasion to get updates on international trade policy and free trade agreement negotiations of the Philippines. These include the Philippines’ Asean initiatives, policy positions including digital policy; the e-commerce chapter of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the government procurement provisions of the World Trade Organization.
