- 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-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 !
3-Mar-2011
IP Left
The Korea-EU FTA must be dismantled. And the lives of patients in over 120 countries are on the line regarding the India-EU FTA. What will devastate the Pharmacy of the World must also be stopped.
2-Mar-2011
Thousands of people with HIV and cancer marched through the streets of India’s capital Wednesday to protest a planned trade deal with the European Union that they claim would restrict access to affordable medicines.
2-Mar-2011
Business Standard
John Clancy, spokesperson for the European Commission’s trade directorate, told Business Standard this week’s talks would focus on “tariffs and services”.
28-Feb-2011
People living with HIV from across Asia who depend on affordable generic AIDS medicines to stay alive will urge the Indian government to stand strong against European Union demands on the sensitive intellectual property chapter in ongoing free trade agreement negotiations.
