- Negotiations
The European Union and India launched negotiations on a bilateral free trade and investment agreement in June 2007. However, between the governments, a number of controversies have been plaguing the talks. Delhi wants Brussels to relax its stringent food safety criteria which penalise Indian farm and fishery exports and to make it easier for Indian professionals to work in the EU. Europe is primarily out to win major openings of India’s services sector and broad liberalisation of foreign investment, while India does not want to discuss allowing European firms to compete in India’s government procurement market.
Indian social movements, including fisherfolk and labour unions, people living with HIV/AIDS and other health activists have been mobilizing against the FTA. International actions and campaigns have particularly targeted the proposed intellectual property provisions of the agreement, and the impact of the FTA on access to medicines.
last update: May 2012
Photo: MSF
18-Jun-2024
MSN
India is likely to ask for a three-year exemption for its micro, small and medium enterprises from a proposed mandatory tariff on carbon-intensive imports in talks on a free trade deal with European Union negotiators
7-Jun-2024
Live Mint
India and the European Union (EU) will resume talks for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the eighth round slated to start on 23 June, two people aware of the matter said.
9-Apr-2024
Mint
The eighth round of negotiations for the India-European Union free trade agreement are slated to start next month, with India making changes to its negotiating team to speed up the process.
12-Mar-2024
The Indian Express
The Indian Express has earlier reported that several export items to the EU have suffered due to technical barriers. Indian tea exports for instance have suffered from stiff maximum residue level requirements in the EU.
19-Feb-2024
Firstpost
India-EU FTA seventh round talks is expected to focus on services and investments, building on earlier talks that covered goods and public procurement
26-Jan-2024
Live Mint
A 15-member team from the European Union (EU) will travel to New Delhi on 19 February for a week of deliberations on a potential free trade agreement (FTA) with India.
11-Dec-2023
The Week
India seeks to resolve a WTO import duty dispute with the European Union on certain information and technology products through the proposed free trade agreement, which is under active negotiations, an official said.
30-Oct-2023
Live Mint
An end of year deadline for a free trade deal between India and the European Union is unrealistic, the 27-nation grouping’s Ambassador to India, Hervé Delphin, said in an interview.
28-Aug-2023
The Print
The signing of the free trade agreement between India and Europe might take a while as a senior European Union official said in the EU, its “substance” matters more than a deadline and further discussion is needed.
13-Jul-2023
The Hindu BusinessLine
New Delhi insists on ’exhaustion of local remedies’ clause but Brussels wants investor court system.