EU calls for Philippines free-trade

MANILA, Feb 24 (AFP): The European Union Thursday renewed its call for a free-trade agreement with the Philippines. Guy Ledoux, head of the EU mission's delegation to the Philippines, said Manila had yet to formalise its intention to negotiate a free-trade treaty after it was proposed last year. "The ball is in the Philippines' court," Ledoux told reporters. The EU is pursuing free trade talks with other Southeast Asian nations, including Singapore and Malaysia, after failing to broker one with the 10-nation ASEAN regional bloc.