- 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
20-Jan-2025
Live Mint
Indian Commerce Minister and European Trade Commissioner met to discuss expediting the India-EU FTA, signals a renewed push to advance negotiations on the India-EU FTA, a pact that has faced hurdles over the years due to differences on issues such as market access, tariff reductions and regulatory alignment.
15-Jan-2025
Business Standard
Despite nine intense rounds of negotiations over two-and-a-half years, progress on the proposed free trade agreement negotiations between India and the European Union is now on a slow track over fundamental differences.
4-Dec-2024
The Hindu BusinessLine
The proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement is likely to focus on investment liberalisation, while keeping investment protection and arbitration out of the pact, to be negotiated separately in a bilateral investment treaty.
4-Dec-2024
Swiss info
The Swiss Senate is in favour of a free trade agreement between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and India. It was the first Swiss parliamentary chamber to approve the deal.
29-Nov-2024
CNBCTV18
Several important issues pertaining to bilateral trade emerged between India and the European Union (EU) in the 10th round of negotiations. Both India and EU are learnt to have expressed reluctance to open up their respective dairy and agricultural sectors for foreign trade owing to local sensitivities.
18-Nov-2024
Fortune India
The most recent round of talks – the ninth round of India-EU FTA negotiations had covered 20 policy areas in 78 technical sessions.
25-Oct-2024
The Print
Agriculture is the "most problematic" area in talks to secure a free trade deal between India and the European Union, German Economy Minister said, suggesting that it would be better to focus on the industrial sector first.
14-Oct-2024
Hindustan Times
Commerce minister Piyush Goyal on Friday advised the European Union to shun imposing “irrational standards” such as carbon tax, which he said act as trade barriers.
9-Oct-2024
Euractiv
The European Union and India have concluded the ninth round of talks on a proposed free trade agreement. Although divergences on key issues remain, an FTA is in the interest of both sides.
7-Oct-2024
The Economic Times
India and the EU are set to hold the next round of FTA negotiations in early next year. Limited progress was achieved on rules of origin and government procurement.
