- 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
30-Mar-2022
The Telegraph India
The preliminary negotiations are expected to prepare the ground for ironing out differences and even attempt to crack an early harvest deal before 2024 polls in India.
9-Mar-2022
The Hindu BusinessLine
India is trying to persuade the European Union to come to the negotiating table to work out the contours of the proposed bilateral free trade agreement instead of putting in place numerous preconditions for starting the talks.
28-Jan-2022
Hindustan Times
India wants “greater urgency” and “faster movement” in negotiations with the European Union for trade and investment pacts, though there are challenges, Indian external affairs minister said.
10-Dec-2021
BusinessLine
There is no clarity now over when formal negotiations on the proposed India-EU trade pact would begin.
25-Nov-2021
The Times of India
Sweden’s ambassador to India, expressed hope that the FTA between the EU and India would be negotiated and resolved soon. Swedish diplomats also stressed on innovation and cooperation between entities from their country and India.
29-Oct-2021
The Hindu
After an eight year hiatus, India and the European Union (EU) are set to resume negotiations for a Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) by December, according to a Government official.
22-Oct-2021
Phnom Penh Post
The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) has been signed, trading appreciably more agricultural wares will not be possible without first tackling some of the remaining non-tariff barriers, especially those concerning sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) rules.
21-Oct-2021
Money Control
The European Union (EU) has finally given its assent to conclude a proposed investment facilitation deal with India, separate from the free trade agreement (FTA) also being negotiated between the partners.
10-Sep-2021
The Times of India
Progress has been made on the resumption of the India-EU free trade agreement negotiations and the formal talks would start this month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.
27-Jul-2021
The Hindu Businessline
India and the EU are likely to begin negotiations on the revamped proposal for a bilateral FTA in September but there continues to be disagreement on whether to carve out separate agreements on investment protection and geographical indications (GIs).