- 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
29-Mar-2013
CNBC
The future of the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and EU will now depend on a meeting between commerce minister Anand Sharma and EU trade commissioner Karl De Gucht at Brussels on April 15.
27-Mar-2013
Drugmakers and healthcare activists are worried that the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which is in the works, may contain a provision that could imperil local industry and have urged the government to keep patent infringement issues out of FTAs.
27-Mar-2013
Times of India
India’s largest dairy co-operative - Amul - has requested the commerce ministry to relook at the EU-India Free Trade Agreement.
26-Mar-2013
First Post
Even as India enters the final phase of the negotiations for its controversial Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with European Union (EU), the country hasn’t taken into account the red flags raised by citizens’ groups and development specialists.
25-Mar-2013
Pharmabiz
The undue hurry on the ongoing negotiations between the Indian government and the European Commission (EC) to finalise the EU-India free trade agreement (FTA) has come in for sharp criticism from the NGOs working in the health sector. They have termed the government action as undemocratic.
21-Mar-2013
The free trade agreement that European Union is pushing India to sign could put an end to India’s status as the pharmacy of the developing providing affordable medicines, especially HIV drugs to countries like Brazil, Thailand, South Africa, Zimbabwe and several others. The negotiations with EU are on at a feverish pace this week in Brussels even before the parliamentary standing committee looking into the free trade agreements (FTAs) has submitted its report.
19-Mar-2013
A mass rally cum public meeting protesting against the proposed India- EU FTA was held today at Kumbi in Bishnupur district, said a release of United Community Development Platform, Moirang.
14-Mar-2013
AHRC
The Asian Human Rights Commission has issued an urgent appeal to support protestors against the EU-India FTA and needs your help
12-Mar-2013
LiveMint
The much-delayed free trade agreement between India and the European Union may finally get through if the government is able to amend the law to allow greater foreign investment in Indian insurance firms.
11-Mar-2013
DNP+
Civil society and PLHIV networks across the world need to support us
in this unequal and conclusive battle against the unfair demands of
the European Commission on IP enforcement and investment standards.
