Luxembourg's foreign policy thrusts are focused on its relations with European countries. As a founding member of the European Union, NATO, the United Nations, BENELUX, and the Western European Union, its foreign relations reflect the political consensus in favour of economic, political and military integration of Europe.
Luxembourg, however, balances its foreign policy priorities such that it seeks to actively promote relations with countries outside Europe. Bilateral relations between the Philippines and Luxembourg remain very cordial and harmonious. RP-Luxembourg political cooperation is active in the UN realm where both countries supported each other's candidatures.
Luxembourg supported RP candidatures in the UN Human Rights Council where RP was elected to one of the thirteen seats for the Asian Group in the 09 May 2006 elections held in New York. It also supported RP nomination in the International Law Commission and the International Telecommunication Union Council for the term 2006-2010, and the Philippine candidature in the Committee Against Torture in 2007.
The Philippines, on the other hand, supported Luxembourg's candidature in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the period 2007-2009, and Luxembourg's candidature for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for the period 2013-2014.
There were high-level contacts made between the two countries, as follows:
- His Royal Highness Prince Henri, then hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, headed an Economic Promotion Mission to the Philippines in December 1996.
- At the fringes of the 4th ASEM Summit in September 2002 at Copenhagen, Denmark, Philippine Trade Undersecretary Thomas G. Aquino and Luxembourg Economic Minister Henri Grethen held a bilateral meeting on RP canned tuna issue.
- On 28 January 2005, Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles, then Presidential Adviser for Peace Process, and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, met with the Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Nicolas Schmit. It was held during the EU-Luxembourg Presidency for the period January to June 2005. They discussed the RP peace process with the NDF/CPP/NPA as well as with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The Luxembourg Presidency of the EU issued a press release announcing "the support of EU for the efforts to consolidate the Philippine democratic system, and the efforts of the Philippine Government in the peace talks".
- Ambassador Cristina G. Ortega presented her credentials to Grand Duke Henri on 12 October 2006. She discussed with the Grand Duke matters of bilateral concerns such as trade and investments, microfinance project in the Philippines and exchange of visits of officials.
- On 18 December 2006, Ambassador Cristina G. Ortega met with H.E. Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg. Topping the agenda was the promotion of the Philippines as a regional and global hub for business process outsourcing and promotion of export products. Ambassador Ortega also expressed interest of having a bilateral project on microfinance.
- On 19 June 2007, Ambassador Ortega met with Mr. Sam Schreiner, Secrétaire de Légation of the Luxembourg MFA -International Economic Relations and discussed the the proposed agreement on avoidance of double taxation, the proposed business meetings (which aims to promote trade and investment opportunities and come up with a concrete bilateral project on microfinance), and the upcoming visit of Undersecretary Edsel T. Custodio.
- On 25 September 2007, the DFA Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Honorable Edsel T. Custodio and delegation met with H.E. Minister Jean-Louis Schiltz and Minister for Development Cooperation officials where he presented the microfinance sector in the Philippines. He also met with the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce Vice-President for International Operations Mr. Jean-Claude Vesque, and officials from the Luxembourg Bankers Association and the Luxembourg Fund Industry Association to promote trade and investments between the two countries.
- On 20-21 Feb 2008, Prof. Dr. Miriam Defensor Santiago met with Luxembourgish officials to seek the support of the Belgian Government for her candidature to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). She met H.E. Jean Asselborn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, and Mr. Ben Fayot, Chairperson of the Commission of Foreign and European Affairs, Defense, Cooperation and Migration of the Chamber of Deputies.
- On 02 June 2008, H.E. Jean Asselborn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, was on a working visit to the Philippines. Secretary of Foreign Affairs Honorable Alberto G. Romulo hosted a Luncheon Meeting for the Luxembourg delegation at the Goldenberg Mansion. The delegation was composed of H.E. Ambassador Sylvia Lucas, Director for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI), Ms. Yuriko Backes, Deputy-Director of the MFAI's International Economic Affairs Department, Ms. Yasuko Muller, Responsible for Asia/Oceana of MFAI's Political Affairs Department, and Mr. Tom Reisen, Press Advisor to the DPM and FM.
DPM and FM Asselborn expressed Luxembourg's readiness to negotiate and keen interest to conclude the proposed Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation. The Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia which has not concluded a double taxation agreement with Luxembourg. Hon. Romulo and DPM & PM Asselborn also discussed matters on microfinance, the two countries mutual exchanges of support in the multilateral fora, GRP-MILF Peace Process, GRP-NDF Peace Process, extra-judicial killings, corruption, food security, energy, climate change, ASEAN Charter, Myanmar humanitarian relief efforts, EU Lisbon Treaty and the abolition of the death penalty.
- On 03 October 2008, DFA Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Edsel T. Custodio headed a working visit of a Philippine delegation composed of DFA officials and Ms. Jocelyn Badiola, Deputy Executive Director of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) of the Department of Agriculture. The delegation met with Luxembourg officials and discussed elements of cooperation on microfinance and possible technical assistance projects in the Philippines.
The delegation was received by Ambassador Paul Duhr, Secretary General of the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They also met officials from the Ministry of the Economy and Foreign Trade, Appui au Developpement Autonome (ADA), Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI), Luxflag, Luxembourg for Finance and the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce.
