ECCP: Bridging Europe to the Philippines through Business and Innovation

The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) is a non-profit organization that serves as a platform for promoting trade and investment between Europe and the Philippines. As one of the largest foreign chambers in the country, the ECCP represents a diverse range of European companies and businesses operating in various sectors. The chamber works to facilitate economic cooperation, foster strong business relationships, and advocate for the interests of its members. Through a wide array of networking events, seminars, business forums, and advocacy initiatives, the ECCP aims to create an enabling environment for European businesses to thrive in the Philippines. With that, why don’t you join me in learning more about the ECCP with Associate Director for Strategic Partnerships and Communications, Gen Anaquita.

How has your career led you to being an Associate Director for Strategic Partnerships and Communications in the European Chamber of Commerce? What sparked your interest in this field?

Prior to joining the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) in 2017, I was an Account Manager for a real estate tech company where I was exposed to customer service and client engagement. Interestingly, my academic background lies in Economics, but I found that my calling was in communications and stakeholder management. This led me to land a role as a Marketing Officer for the Chamber in 2017, and eventually transition to a Marketing and Communications Manager role in 2019. As we may all know, the COVID-19 pandemic happened, and like most companies, we were faced with a lot of challenges. However, we quickly adapted to the new normal, shifting our operations online, and prioritizing our members. Their needs became the heart of everything we do, and despite the challenges and learning curves, it has been an journey filled with immense growth and opportunities. 

Last year brought a new and exciting path in my professional career when I was given the opportunity to take on another exciting role, to be the Associate Director for Strategic Partnerships and Communications. At first, there were some hesitations and moments of doubt, but as someone who believes in the power of perfect timing and one to never turn down opportunities, I eagerly accepted the role, fully knowing it was a chance for me to grow and evolve as part of this prestigious organization. Now, I find myself at a point where I want to take my career to the next level, assume bigger responsibilities, and absorb and apply all the learnings along the way. After all, experience is truly the best teacher.

What truly ignites my passion for the Chamber and the role itself are the people with whom I have the privilege of working with. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to those who have witnessed the effort and dedication I've poured into my work over the years.

Can you provide an overview of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) and its mission in promoting bilateral trade and investment between Europe and the Philippines?

The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines is a bilateral foreign chamber that promotes European interests to the Philippines and vice versa. We were established in 1978 with 51 founding member companies and we recently celebrated our 45th year anniversary. We currently have over 750 member companies across our six branches nationwide. Our headquarters is in Manila. One of the main goals of the ECCP is to make the Philippines even more attractive as an investment destination, especially to European companies, and to boost the country’s competitiveness. We always strive to support our member companies by facilitating market access and working on the creation of a level playing field for both European and Filipino companies alike. 

Some examples of the initiatives that we've been doing is the yearly launch of the “Doing Business in the Philippines Guidebook”. This publication aims to arm potential investors with knowledge of the Philippine business environment, as well as relevant laws and procedures. By doing so, we empower businesses to make well-informed investment decisions. We also take pride in creating platforms through our events where we discuss crucial topics that are relevant to our members and our stakeholders that impact the overall economic welfare of the country. We also discuss topics such as technology, renewable energy, agriculture, nutrition, circular economy, and most especially sustainability.

What makes the ECCP unique from other Chambers?  

Apart from the fact that the ECCP is the oldest European Chamber outside of Europe, what sets up apart is that we are the European Chamber and we cover all of Europe. This makes us the voice of the European-Philippine business community here in the Philippines. Over the years, we’ve strived to strengthen and grow our network of members and partners from both the public and private sectors making us a credible organization to work with. 

The ECCP plays a vital role in advocating for the interests of European businesses in the Philippines. Could you elaborate on some of the key advocacy initiatives or policy recommendations that the chamber has been involved in?

I would first like to highlight that the ECCP has 23 sector advocacy committees where industry issues and actionable solutions are discussed. These are then elevated to the government through a series of advocacy tools. We have committees on open finance and financial inclusion, food and beverage, infrastructure, and sustainability to name a few. We continuously partner with stakeholders within the government, business sector, civil society, and academe to make sure that the voices of our members are heard. 

Our aim is to help improve the country’s competitiveness, ease of doing business, the retention of the EU General Scheme of Preference Plus (EU GSP+), and EU-Philippines Free Trade Agreement. We are also prioritizing sustainability in line with the European Commission's efforts on the European Green Deal.

Since the Chamber has been deeply involved in sustainability-related advocacies covering energy, water management, and circular economy over the years, we launched the Europa Awards in 2021 where we aim to promote and recognize companies with exceptional performance and contributions in promoting sustainability in line with global standards and the Philippine Development Plan. This year, we will award 10 companies based on their sustainability performance. 

Could you share some success stories or examples of European companies that have thrived in the Philippine market with the support of the ECCP?

There is already a substantial number of widely recognized and established European companies operating in the Philippines. For instance, Bosch, a German multinational engineering and technology company, is a valued member and serves as our official Technology Partner. Additionally, our membership roster includes fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) giants like Nestle, Unilever, and Reckitt, and financial institutions like ING, HSBC, and Pru Life UK. I would also like to emphasize that in recent years, we have actively facilitated the smooth entry of companies into the Philippine market. We provided support to a Danish company to distribute freezer and cooling equipment in the country,  Croatian company secured fintech solutions to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, as well as assisted a Finnish company that offers supply chain management services to local business owners in the country.

Part of the value we provide is in bringing European technologies and expertise to the country through our business consultancy services. ECCP supports European companies aiming to establish their presence here or explore potential partnerships through business-matching activities and missions. Additionally, I'd like to highlight our role in promoting local products on the global stage. We have a subsidiary called Fairs & More, serving as the Philippine office for some of the world’s leading companies that organize internationally-recognized trade fairs encompassing consumer goods, electronics, IT, food & beverage, fashion, and more. 

As the ECCP continues to strengthen the European-Philippine business relationship, what are some of the long-term goals or strategic plans for the chamber in the coming years?

When it comes to our long term vision and strategic approach, we're very determined to further expand, grow our network, and welcome more European companies into our fold. With a promising influx of foreign direct investments (FDI) on the horizon, we eagerly anticipate facilitating their smooth entry into the thriving Philippine market.  The ECCP also remains dedicated to fostering closer relationships and cooperation, especially with the Philippine government and other stakeholders to propel the country's business environment. We also want to collaborate with them to bolster regional and global market integration, enhance competitiveness, promote increased investment, and facilitate the seamless transition towards greener and more digital economies. 

We will also constinously advocate for sustainability. We want a sustainable future for all. As part of our efforts, we recently participated in the Philippines Business Forum on Green Energy and Digital Technologies in Brussels together with the Department of Trade and Industry, wherein we ignited the momentum to spread the good work that we've been doing here in the country and putting the Philippines into the investment map. While there is still work to be done, our optimism and passion knows no bounds. And with the unwavering support of our esteemed Board of Directors, dedicated members, and valuable partners, we are certain that we will achieve all of our collective go––≠≠≠als together as one united force.

Gen Anaquita is the Associate Director for Strategic Partnerships and Communications of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. With Gen’s role, she is tasked to build strong partnerships, foster collaboration, and enhance the Chamber's communication strategies. She plays a critical role in advancing the ECCP's mission of promoting and facilitating trade and investment between European companies and the Philippines. With fervor and dedication, Gen wants Philippine businesses and its economy to develop and grow with the help of European businesses.

Visit www.techshake.asia if you would like to know and connect more with the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.