EU-Philippines FTA joins Brussels' Asia trade harvest; Thailand, Malaysia next

The EU and Philippines have concluded a free-trade agreement, part of a broader push by Brussels to secure trade deals across Asia. Thailand and Malaysia are expected to follow, signaling a strategic pivot to deepen economic ties in the region amid global trade fragmentation. The pact's terms and ratification timeline remain unclear, but it underscores the EU's efforts to diversify supply chains and counterbalance China's influence.