Philippine small and medium enterprises (SMEs) expressed rising optimism about expanding trade links with Europe, according to a new survey by Federal Express Corp.
The findings highlight strong cross-border growth momentum in the Asia-Pacific (APAC)–Europe trade lane, despite persistent regulatory and logistical challenges.
The study, conducted in September 2025, surveyed 850 SMEs across 13 APAC markets and over 1,200 SMEs in nine European markets to assess business sentiment and barriers to cross-border expansion.
“The strong confidence among Philippine SMEs in expanding trade with Europe is a clear signal of the country’s growing role in global commerce,” said FedEx Philippines managing director Maribeth Espinosa.
She said local businesses are actively seizing new opportunities beyond borders as international trade dynamics evolve.
Espinosa cited FedEx’s commitment to advancing the momentum through reliable logistics, intuitive digital tools and adaptive trade expertise to help businesses navigate shifting regulations in the Asia-Europe corridor.
The survey shows a strong uptick in European trade among APAC SMEs, with 76 percent of respondents reporting higher export volumes over the past year. The top expansion markets identified by APAC firms are the United Kingdom (42 percent), Germany (40 percent) and France (38 percent).
European SMEs are similarly confident, with 87 percent either increasing or maintaining their trade activity with APAC.
They identified China (55 percent), Japan (36 percent) and South Korea (24 percent) as the most promising growth markets over the next two years. These trends follow 30 consecutive months of growth for the Asia-Europe trade lane as of August 2025.
Growth is primarily propelled by strong European consumer demand, improved price competitiveness for Asian products and strategic expansion opportunities, factors cited by 68 percent of APAC respondents.
A significant 85 percent of APAC SMEs plan to start or expand trade with Europe within the next 12 to 24 months. European SMEs, meanwhile, are increasingly drawn to APAC by strategic opportunities, comprehensive logistics support and favorable trade agreements.
