EU Ambassador Luc Véron column.  

• Investing in Filipino youth: A blueprint for a brighter future. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star -  June 23, 2024. The youth demographic in the Philippines plays a significant role in shaping the country’s present and future. With 30 million individuals aged 10-24 comprising 28 percent of the population and a median age of around 26 years old, the Philippines boasts a dynamic, energetic and connected generation increasingly attuned to global trend.

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  Words and numbers of friendship. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - May 9, 2024. May 9th is Europe Day. I am often asked what the significance of May 9th is and the answer is quite simple. On May 9, 1950, my countryman, then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman, delivered a rather technical 878-word address (almost the length of this column).

• Enhancing EU-Philippines higher education partnership.  by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - April 18, 2024. Would you say that education matters? In fact, it is just the foundation of progress, innovation and socio-economic advancement. A well-educated population does not just fuel economic growth and development, it also fosters a more just and democratic society. This is even more potent when countries collaborate in education, notably in higher education, creating a treasure trove of shared knowledge. Let’s delve into this exciting partnership between the European Union (EU) and the Philippines, powered by the Erasmus+ program.

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  In March, let’s inspire inclusion.  by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - March 24, 2024. Every year, the 8th of March is the day when we celebrate the multiple achievements of women: social, economic, cultural and political. International Women’s Day also serves as a valuable reminder that the struggle in our societies for gender equality is not over and that systemic barriers that hinder women’s progress in all spheres of life still need to be dealt with. Starting in Manchester with Emmeline Pankhurst, her daughters Christabel, Sylvia and Adela, the suffragettes of the early 20th century, when women passionately campaigned for voting rights (“Deeds, not Words”), to the current fights for reproductive rights, equal pay and an end to gender violence, the quest for women’s rights has left a lasting impact on societies and changed narratives globally. The Philippines, where the whole month of March is National Women’s Month, embraces the importance of this annual moment of attention to deeds, not only words.

• Why Ukraine’s victory is imperative. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star- February 25, 2024. Yesterday marked the two years since, on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia initiated an unjustified, illegal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With misguided confidence, Russian President Vladimir Putin anticipated a swift victory; his war would last only a week. However, two years on, the Ukrainian people continue to bravely withstand relentless assaults from the Russian aggressor. The resulting humanitarian crisis has been staggering, with thousands of lives lost, millions displaced and widespread suffering endured by innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. Putin’s forces make no distinction between military and civilian populations.

• Celebrating 60 years of friendship. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star- January 28, 2024. Year 2024 marks a significant milestone as the European Union and the Philippines commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations. As the European Union Ambassador to the Philippines, I am honored to mark this momentous occasion, reflecting on our joint accomplishments, the challenges we have surmounted and the promising future ahead. In celebration of this historic event, the EU Delegation has planned an array of diplomatic and cultural events throughout the year, ensuring the anniversary receives the recognition it rightfully deserves.

• Global Gateway Forum 2023. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - October 26, 2023. Nearly two years ago, in December 2021, the European Union launched the “Global Gateway” initiative, the European strategy to boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world. The Global Gateway is a partnership of equals. To formalize this partnership, a Global Gateway Forum is organized today in the EU capital Brussels, Belgium. It brings together our key global partners – the Philippines will be represented by the Secretary of Finance, Benjamin E. Diokno – to examine progress and to consider further opportunities and challenges in the strategy’s implementation.

• State of the European Union Address 2023 – What’s in there for the Philippines. by - Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - September 24, 2023. On 13 September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gave the annual State of the European Union address to the European Parliament. As with the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by the President of the Philippines, this speech is the occasion to evaluate the achievements of the European Union of the past year and to lay out the plans and initiatives for the years to come. This is not only important for Europeans: Europe is solidly integrated in the global and multilateral structures and European policies often have global significance.

• The President of the European Commission in Manila: Strengthening cooperation through high-level diplomacy.  by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - August 20, 2023. Upon President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s invitation, Ursula von der Leyen visited the Philippines from July 31 to Aug. 1, 2023. She was the first European Commission President to ever pay an official visit to the country in almost six decades of diplomatic relations. While she had visited personally the country a few times before, our President came from Brussels to engage in meaningful conversations, to explore avenues for collaboration and to address pressing global challenges, from climate change to economic growth.

• The devastating impact of climate change: what we can do together.  by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - July 27, 2023. Following some scorching hot summer months, tropical rains have returned to the Philippines and the dreadful typhoon season is back. At the same time, large parts of Europe and Asia are suffering from record-breaking heatwaves, which result in devastating wildfires in some places. I therefore considered it relevant to dedicate this month’s column to the impact of climate change, particularly on the Philippines, and how we work together to address this challenge. I realize that the Philippines lies in the Pacific Typhoon Belt, and that the country has long endured the devastating impact of typhoons, but evidence shows that climate change has escalated the intensity and frequency of these storms. Super Typhoons Yolanda in 2013 and Odette in 2021 were the costliest typhoons in Philippine history and have shown the increasingly destructive potential of these natural phenomena. The warmer ocean temperatures in the Pacific provide the necessary fuel for typhoons to form and intensify. I was able to personally witness the impact of Odette on local communities when I visited Siargao last August, eight months after the landfall of Odette.

• Celebrating Pride Month: EU’s commitment to equality and economic progress. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - June 22, 2023. June marks the global celebration of Pride month, dedicated to honoring the diverse experiences and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual (LGBTIQA+) persons. The European Union (EU) Delegation and the Philippines join forces to commemorate this occasion, applauding the advocates who promote LGBTQIA+ human rights and foster inclusivity, tolerance and a society rooted in respect. The EU’s ‘Pride Heroes’ campaign aims to highlight the exceptional work of those who have dedicated their lives to advancing the rights of LGBTQIA+ persons. One notable individual honored is Mela Habijan, the first Miss Trans-Global, a transgender Filipina writer and LGBTQIA+ activist.

• Celebrating unity and EU-Phl relations. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - May 21, 2023. Europe Day, celebrated on May 9th, is an annual tradition where we commemorate the founding of the European Union. When a global pandemic or some other imponderable does not get in the way, we hold a diplomatic reception, bringing together Filipino senators, members of Congress, government officials, foreign diplomats, development partners, journalists, business representatives and civil society to mark the occasion. We did so this year.

• EU-Philippines: a maritime partnership. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - April 23, 2023. The sea is of utmost importance to all of us. Over 80 percent of global trade is seaborne, two-thirds of the world oil and gas supply is extracted or transported by sea, up to 99 percent of international data transfers and communications rely on submarine cables. The Philippines, with its 7,000 islands and exclusive economic zone, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which is four times larger than its land area, understands the significance of the sea better than most countries. The 50,000 Filipino seafarers serving on EU-flagged commercial ships only exemplifies the strong European Union-Philippines maritime partnership.

• Reinforcing understanding and democratic accountability. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - March 23, 2023. As a diplomat, I meet “face to face” and interact with counterparts from many government departments, agencies, civil society, business and economic actors. In doing so, I aim to improve bilateral relations between the Philippines and the European Union. However, we must promote direct dialogue between elected officials through the inter-parliamentary exchange to build solid ties and bring European and Filipino citizens closer.

• Rules-based multilateralism for a peaceful, prosperous future. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - February 26, 2023. In today’s interconnected world, countries need help to achieve their goals and address their pressing global challenges. They need to work with other countries, international organizations and non-state actors to find collective solutions to global problems, such as climate change, poverty, hunger, health issues and conflict. International cooperation and relations ruled by international law, rather than the law of the strongest, are the basis for peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity. This message resonates more than ever for the EU as we approach one year since the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine.

• EU and the Philippines in 2023. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - January 22, 2023. As I wrote in this column last November, 2022 brought a renewed positive momentum in EU-Philippines relations. Our ambition is to keep going and build on this momentum to further develop our strong relationship. 2023 is shaping up to be a year where we will have plenty of opportunities to do so through various events, projects, initiatives, visits and engagements.

• Re-opening. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - December 15, 2022.  I was looking for a word to capture my impression of 2022, two years after Nicole and I arrived in the Philippines. A year ago, I was reminiscing in this column about being “ushered through the ghost-like alleys” of NAIA… It was indeed Dec. 14, 2020, an eternity ago, a time of quarantine and face shields. Who remembers the face shields and NAIA’s empty corridors? Our puppy Malinois Kaya was yet to be born. She looks up as I type these words, sighs and curls up under the desk, my big, sweet dog!

• Renewed people-to-people connectivity. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - November 29, 2022. I want to wish my Filipino readers a happy Bonifacio Day. I hope that everyone will have a restful and meaningful national holiday. Today, I will focus on the renewed positive momentum in EU-Philippines relations. The European Union and the Philippines have had the opportunity to (re)engage constructively on multiple occasions in the past months. In-person meetings have intensified with European and Philippine officials’ visits to and from our headquarters in Brussels, and more are upcoming.

• Vanguards of our biodiversity. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - October 30, 2022. Since I arrived in the Philippines almost two years ago, I have been in awe of the country’s rich  biodiversity - from the tarsiers in Bohol to the tamaraws in Mindoro and the magnificent eagles from Davao. Not to mention the more than 10,000 begonias, orchids and palms endemic to the country. The Philippines is almost a haven and is considered among the 18 mega-biodiverse countries containing 70 and 80 percent of the world’s plant and animal species, respectively. But unfortunately, like in the rest of the world, the list of endangered species in the country is fast growing

• Accelerating green energy and a circular economy. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - September 29, 2022. The world is warming faster than at any point in recorded history. With it, typhoons and droughts are becoming stronger and more frequent. Glaciers and ice caps are receding, rainfall patterns, oceans and winds are changing and sea levels are increasing. World leaders – including European Council President Charles Michel and Philippine President Marcos – pointed at this dismal state of affairs at last week’s UN General Assembly. From the halls of the UN in New York, an almost unanimous and alarming call to urgent and radical action emerged.

• The Last Mile – and beyond. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - August 28, 2022. A few days ago, I visited Siargao, eight months into the island’s recovery from the immense damage caused by Typhoon Odette (Rai). My primary purpose was to monitor the European Union’s humanitarian and development initiatives on the ground and see for myself their impact on the recovery from the destruction brought by the super typhoon. This visit took place on World Humanitarian Day, dedicated to highlight the thousands of volunteers, professionals and crisis-affected people who deliver urgent health care, shelter, food, protection, water and more. As the world celebrated humanitarian work, it filled me with pride to see the European Union play an important part in helping Siargao’s communities rebuild.

• Forging ahead: EU and the Philippines. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - July 31, 2022. With what he said on the Philippine economy last Monday in his first State of the Nation Address, President Marcos got off to a good start. His emphasis on putting the Philippines on the path of recovery and growth was both expected and welcome. Listening to the President, I also noted his welcome insistence on sound fiscal management, increasing productivity and enhancing domestic and foreign investments.The European Union will definitely continue to work with the Philippines in strengthening our bilateral trade and investment, thus contributing to the recovery efforts of the Philippines amidst the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
• EU and the Philippines: On the right track to protect the oceans. by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - June 23, 2022. As far as I can remember, I have been in love with the sea. As a sailor who lived near the ocean in my native France, the sea has always been my comfortable respite. Working in an archipelagic country like the Philippines, where the sea is inescapable, is a wish fulfilled. The oceans and water were the theme of the visual arts exhibition “Ebb and Flow, Return to Nature” which the Delegation organized recently to mark the EU Green Week and the UN Ocean Conference.

• Blatant disinformation. by Luc Véron - Business Mirror - June 21, 2022. This is in reference to the Opinion piece written by Lito Gagni “Is Russia to blame for food and energy crisis?” that BusinessMirror published on June 20, 2022. While we respect freedom of expression, the opinion column contained blatant disinformation rehashing the words of President Putin accusing the west of creating an energy and food crisis. We would like to clarify the following:

• Indo-Pacific: At the Heart of the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy. by Luc Véron - FACTSasia.org - June 21, 2022. Why an EU strategy for the Indo-Pacific? At the heart of the EU’s foreign and security policy is the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which was launched in 2021. The Indo-Pacific – spanning from the east coast of Africa to the Pacific Island states – is a region where the EU has a comprehensive network of relationships and partners. The EU and the Indo-Pacific are highly interconnected with many shared interests and solid ties – from trade and investments to research and innovation, sustainable development, climate change, biodiversity protection and security.

• Celebrating peace, EU-Phl friendship on Europe Day 2022 by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - May 15, 2022. While the 9th of May was Election Day in the Philippines, for Europeans every ninth of May marks a very special moment in our history. On that day, 72 years ago, then French foreign minister Robert Schuman proposed the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community, the members of which would put coal and steel production under a common, supranational authority. Determined to prevent another terrible war in Europe, six European governments concluded that pooling coal and steel production would – in the words of the Schuman Declaration – make war between historic rivals “not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible.”

• Less words, more action by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - April 24, 2022. In recent years, the European Union’s security environment has deteriorated or, to be blunt, the world has become less secure. In 2020, there were active armed conflicts in 39 states – five more than the year before. Alas, 2022 saw Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine and we now face a war on Europe’s doorstep with unforeseen consequences for the world.

• Adhering to truth by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - March 19, 2022. As I write these lines, Russian troops are continuing to sow destruction in their neighbor Ukraine.

• Lies and disinformation about Ukraine by Luc Véron - Philippine Daily Inquirer - March 18, 2022. In reference to the commentary “A quest for peace in Europe” written by Bobby M. Tuazon and published on March 16, 2022, the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines would like to clarify on the following points:

• Philippines and EU GSP+: inclusive and sustainable growth by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - February 26, 2022. The EU and the Philippines have a strong trade and investment relation. Trade in goods between the EU and the Philippines have been increasing over time, preserving a solid balance between imports and exports.

• Standing by you by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - February 3, 2022. As the country was preparing for Christmas, Typhoon Odette hit ten of its 17 regions, causing more than 400 deaths, affecting more than 7.8 million people and causing devastation in vast parts of the Visayas and northern Mindanao.

• One year, already by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - December 16, 2021. It has been one year already since Nicole and I landed at NAIA. 

• Prisms of hope and peace for Bangsamoro by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star- November 28, 2021. Following a successful mission in the Cordillera Administrative Region, I headed to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao to see our development and humanitarian projects and to meet with interlocutors...

• Copernicus, a European legacy for a better world by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - October 28, 2021. The Earth’s natural resources, upon which we rely for survival, are limited. Nonetheless, the world population continues to rise, and utilization of natural resources continues to exceed their regenerative capacity.

• Bounce back better, priority for the EU by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - September 30, 2021. Almost two years into the pandemic, the world has embraced changes and digital transformation with unprecedented speed and scale, not only in lifestyles and social interaction but also in every aspect of business and the provision of services.

• EU-ASEAN: Building a better future with the Philippines by Luc Véron -  The Philippine Star - August 22, 2021. While August has been described as a “Ghost Month,” for the EU, it is one special month as we welcome the Philippines as the Coordinator for the ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations starting Aug. 9 for the three years to come.

• Remembering PNoy, a friend of the EU by  Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - August 1, 2021. The death of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III caught the Philippines and the world in disbelief. Noynoy Aquino was a friend of the EU.

• The EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - June 20, 2021. The Indo-Pacific – spanning from the east coast of Africa to the Pacific Island states – is a region where the EU has a comprehensive network of relationships and partners.

• Europe Day: Sama-sama together! by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - May 16, 2021 - 12:00 am For any EU ambassador around the world, the month of May is, by tradition, a time to organize celebrations and festivities.

• Viva Europa 2021: Sama-Sama Together by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - April 25, 2021 - 12:00 am. Do you remember this lovely evening?

• Inclusive multilateralism matters by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star - March 30, 2021. Together with my fellow EU Member States Ambassadors (Team Europe) and the World Health Organization (WHO), I had the pleasure to welcome the arrival of 480,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines in Manila on March 4.

• EU-Philippines: Nurturing the ties that bind by Luc Véron - The Philippine Star- February 23, 2021. When I first visited the Philippines for an official mission in March 2016, I knew that I would love to come back to live here and to learn more about the country and its people.