- 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-Jul-2007
IPS
The European Union’s trade policy has been condemned as "predatory" by a leading anti-poverty campaigner from India.
6-Jul-2007
The European Union may back off from its insistence on including non-trade issues like human rights in the proposed free trade pact with India.
3-Jul-2007
With Portugal taking presidency of the European Union on July 1, strong ties with India would help expedite the proposed free trade agreement between India and the EU.
29-Jun-2007
As part of its policy to push for Free Trade Agreements with major trading partners, India has formally launched negotiations with the European Union for an ambitious and comprehensive FTA aimed at removing barriers across all sectors including investment and services.
27-Jun-2007
Having failed to get any concession on fast-expanding Indian market for food products in the WTO talks, the European Union will push for achieving a similar objective in its bilateral negotiations with New Delhi on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.
15-Jun-2007
The Hindu
Learning from its Asean experience, India has asked the European Union to reach an internal consensus before putting offers on the negotiating table for the proposed comprehensive trade and investment agreement, for which talks will start later this month.
14-Jun-2007
Learning from its Asean experience, India has asked the European Union to reach an internal consensus before putting offers on the negotiating table for the proposed comprehensive trade and investment agreement, for which talks will start later this month.
28-May-2007
The council of European Union (EU) has given a mandate to European Commission to pursue negotiations to conclude a free trade agreement (FTA) with India.
26-May-2007
Pak Tribune
All Parties Hurriyat Conference senior leader and Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement Zaffar Akabar Bhat on Thursday appealed the European Union to cancel the FTA with India due to its poor human rights record across the Occupied Jammu and Kashmir where, from the last 18 years Indian soldiers are not only killing the innocent people but also disappearing the youth and dumping them in fake encounters aimed at converting the majority of Muslim population into minority .
14-Mar-2007
A planned free trade deal between the EU and India has run into serious difficulties over whether or not it should include clauses relating to human rights and weapons of mass destruction. But anti-poverty campaigners have also argued that an agreement is undesirable as it could potentially reduce India’s control over its own economy.
