The European Union and the Philippines announced today the launch of the EU-Philippines AI Industry Lab, marking a major step forward in the implementation of the EU-PH Enhanced Partnership. The Lab is part of the EU-Philippines digital cooperation under the Global Gateway Strategy, now amounting to EUR 40 million.
Following the signature in July 2026 by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro of the Joint Statement elevating EU-Philippines relations to an Enhanced Partnership, and in the wake of the recently substantially concluded negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement, both sides are deepening cooperation to create a more robust, resilient and mutually beneficial bilateral partnership.
The new EU-Philippines AI Industry Lab, announced at the 2026 AI Forum taking place on 22 October and organised by the ECCP, is the result of a three-day joint mission organised by the European Union and the Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines, called ‘EU PH Advancing Research and Innovation on Artificial Intelligence’ where the EU mobilised experts from Europe as well as EU and local private sector to develop AI cooperation.
The Lab, which will be established through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), as an allied Lab under its National AI Center for Research and Innovation (NAICRI) programme, reflects the shared commitment of the European Union and the Philippines to harness the opportunities of digital transformation and emerging technologies while promoting openness, trust, security and responsible innovation.
What is the EU-Philippines AI Industry Lab?
The EU-Philippines AI Industry Lab will foster a dynamic and inclusive artificial intelligence ecosystem for the European and Philippine industry, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and start-ups, as part of the National AI Strategy for the Philippines (NAIS-PH).
These include the development of AI infrastructure and data ecosystems, and the promotion of principled and trustworthy technology adoption across industries, build skills and talent partnership, improved market access and laying the ground to facilitate investments. The EU and the Philippines intend to promote research and development opportunities between
public and private sector organisations, foster the sharing of expertise, and support the translation of research into real-world applications and industrial impact.
It will advance the principled technology infusion of AI – the deep and seamless integration of digital tools, systems and innovation into business operations, services, curricula and complex engineering environments – so that AI becomes a core capability, not an add-on.
In practice, the Lab will establish the enabling AI ecosystem through infrastructure, cloud services, data sets – including Earth Observation Data from Copernicus, Geospatial Analytics and Technology Solutions (GATES) and other DOST programme’s data – and development of AI uses cases in priority sectors such as energy, health, environment and disaster resilience, among others.
It will also drive a skills and talent partnership for AI deployment by connecting European and Philippine businesses and innovators with technical expertise, innovation advisory services and European technology know-how from European Digital Innovation Hubs and AI Factories, alongside public-private partnerships with EU private-sector actors in the Philippines and local universities.
To support promising AI solutions in their growth, the Lab will facilitate investment and market access by promoting technology standards and drawing on EU experience in interoperability, cybersecurity, data protection, intellectual property and human-centric AI governance, while enabling AI solutions to be tested under a ‘test before invest’ approach.
By bringing together public and private stakeholders, the AI Industry Lab seeks to create new opportunities for innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable economic growth and investment for both the Philippines and the EU. The initiative is also expected to facilitate technology transfer from and to the European Union, strengthen innovation ecosystems, and create new opportunities for businesses, researchers, start-ups and institutions on both sides.
The EU and the Philippines share the commitment to ensure that AI development is human centric, innovation-friendly and aligned with democratic values. In doing so, the partnership aims at supporting the Industry – European private sector and Philippine MSMEs and emerging companies – harness AI to improve productivity, scale innovative solutions and participate more effectively in global value chains.