- 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
7-Apr-2011
Europolitics
The outcome of this week’s meetings will reveal whether India and the EU can clinch a historic free trade agreement by the summer, Europolitics understands.
6-Apr-2011
PTI
The panel would also clear negotiations for India-Australia FTA and examine setting up a joint study group for a possible free trade pact between India and the Common Market For Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
30-Mar-2011
Business Standard
The government on Tuesday took a firm stand on protection of intellectual property rights and the aspect of data exclusivity for drug manufacturers saying that the country would not extend data exclusivity that would hamper the domestic pharma industry.
29-Mar-2011
India today ruled out sharing test data of drugs, or data exclusivity, of Indian pharma firms with developed countries and multi-national companies, and stressed that the provision will not form part of any free trade agreements pursued by the country.
28-Mar-2011
The Telegraph
The prospect of an imminent of India-European Union Free Trade Agreement has suffered a setback according to officials who said they now believe it may not be signed before the end of the year or early 2012.
27-Mar-2011
AJE
India is one of the world’s largest producers of generic drugs. But a proposed Free Trade Agreement with the European Union could curb the supply of affordable drugs to millions of people. Al Jazeera reports from New Delhi
15-Mar-2011
Amid concerns expressed by the Indian industry, the government today said in Parliament that it will protect the interest of the domestic drug industry while finalising the free trade pact with European Union.
15-Mar-2011
India has sorted out most of its differences with the European Union on production of low-cost generic medicines, ahead of a crucial meeting on a proposed free-trade pact next month, a government official told ET. Civil society groups, however, warn that India should be on its guard to ensure that the intellectual property rights (IPR) regime is not changed to allow extension of patents.
8-Mar-2011
On the cusp of realising a Free Trade Agreement with India, the European Union (EU) is already an important trading partner. The ambassador, Head of Delegation of the European Union to India, Daniele Smadja , spoke to Deep K Datta-Ray
8-Mar-2011
Act Up Paris
Write to members of Indian governement and European Commission to save affordable medicines and access to life-saving treatments in Africa, Asia and Latin America !
