EU to meet mango industry stakeholders in Guimaras
European Union (EU) diplomats led by Ambassador Franz Jessen are set to meet stakeholders of the country’s mango industry for the first time in Guimaras this week.
Jessen and his colleagues will meet with local government officials in Western Visayas and join the Sikaran bike tour on Thursday and Friday in a bid to reiterate the EU’s environmental advocacy and as part of the delegation’s 25th anniversary in the Philippines.
“The EU is looking forward to participating in Sikaran as a pre-Earth Day advocacy initiative to call on all stakeholders to help in countering climate change and to meet with mango industry stakeholders to see how to further boost EU-Philippines’ trade particularly to increase access of Guimaras mangoes to international markets by way of adherence to intellectual property rights and to geographical indications’ standards,” Jessen said in a statement.
The EU had committed to lower carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. A binding commitment forms part of the EU package implemented in the framework of the first-ever universal global climate deal which 195 nations, including the EU and the Philippines, adopted at the climate talks in Paris in December 2015.
EU’s meeting with mango industry stakeholders was part of the Trade Related Technical Assistance Program 3, which aims to boost the competitiveness of particular Philippine products in global markets by mobilizing experts to support the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines in developing, promoting, and protecting the famous Guimaras mango as a geographical indication or GI.
The “Guimaras Mango” GI serves as a label that characterizes the mangoes originating in Guimaras as “reputedly fresh and sweet.”
“We look forward to seeing the Guimaras mango sector benefit from the increased marketability and improved access to international markets that the Geographical Indication will bring in. The opportunities presented by EU Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) will further enable the Guimaras mangoes to contribute more to the growth of the local economy and the generation of jobs in the regions,” TRTA 3 imprest administrator Lydia Guevarra said in a statement. RC
