- 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
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.
7-Jul-2023
CNBC TV
Indian experts accredited by the government will be assessing the carbon content as India and European Union (EU) negotiate the Free Trade Agreement, as per sources in the government.
4-Jul-2023
Mint
A trade relationship between India and the European Union holds the potential to significantly reshape the global economic order, but the two entities need to find common ground on various issues first.
30-Jun-2023
Heinrich Böll Stiftung
Can India protect its development objectives by signing a free trade agreement with an unequal partner with different ambitions?
21-Jun-2023
Counterview
More than 130 organisations and civil society leaders have expressed concern at the lack of transparency and non-inclusive consultation processes adopted by the Union Government in the negotiations for entering into free trade, comprehensive economic partnership or investment related agreements.
5-Jun-2023
Reuters
The exporters’ body warned the EU plan could make India’s free trade agreements with other countries and a proposed pact with the EU "redundant" as the prices of many exporters’ goods would rise.
13-Apr-2023
Mint
Trade minister Piyush Goyal discussed the progress on the India-EU free trade agreement with his French counterpart Olivier Becht, the commerce ministry said in a statement.
27-Mar-2023
The Economic Times
India and the European Union (EU) on Saturday concluded the fourth round of talks for a comprehensive free trade agreement in Brussels, a a move aimed at further strengthening economic ties between the two sides.
13-Mar-2023
ACEA
ACEA welcomes the relaunch of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with India. Likewise, the opening of negotiations for an investment protection agreement is a positive step towards the EU’s objective of strengthening its relationship with India.
