The EU is looking for homework on cars, wine and whiskey, says that “relatively closed” India | Commercial news

“There are a number of problems that are exceptional (for an ALE), including prices. The India market is relatively closed, in particular the key products of commercial interest in the European Union and for the Member States industries. These include cars, as well as wines and spirits, “said the manager.

The EU official said that the European Union Seeking to make a good deal to ensure that India and the EU have a commercially significant ALE that covers prices, non -tariff obstacles and supply commitments. “And these are only three examples of areas where we always expect India to find stronger commitments,” said the official.

The EU’s lower price request comes after India and the EU concluded nine talks, the tenth series of negotiations which should take place from March 10 to 14 in Brussels. Once concluded, the EU’s agreement will be the largest ALE for India, improving market access for the high intensity sectors of labor such as textiles, leather and marine products on the second export market in India after the United States.

India, on its part, puts pressure for concessions for its MPMs in the agreement in the middle of the concerns that a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) could cause high tasks on Indian steel and aluminum products. The EU recently granted a concession to Mercosur under the trade agreement that the block of 27 nations signed last year.

Textile exports of India, in particular, are disadvantaged compared to countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam, because Indian clothing and textile exports are faced with an additional 10% due to the absence of a trade agreement. An EU FTA would bring textile exports from India to tie with those of its competitors.

In addition, India is also looking for better integration with the EU services sector and to create more opportunities for the mobility of skilled labor. In addition to being one of the largest goods export markets in India, the EU is also one of its largest service export markets.

THE EU and Indian leaders had agreed, in May 2021, agreed to resume negotiations for a “balanced, ambitious, complete and mutually beneficial” trade agreement which was abandoned almost a decade ago, and to launch separate negotiations on a investment protection agreement and an agreement on geographic indications (GIS). Managers have also agreed to link commercial negotiations looking for “solutions to long -standing market problems”.

High standards and expectations

The EU official also said that Europe had high expectations of the agreement and that the meeting somewhere in the middle is a “challenge”. “We have an advantage in terms of experience that we have in the negotiation of these transactions. We have a model. Therefore, we also have high expectations. We have standards, and I think that part of the challenge for us is perhaps to meet us somewhere in the middle, where our high ambition and our high standard are indeed reciprocal and also reflect Indian interests, “said the senior official.

“The EU has the largest network of trade agreements in the world. Currently, 76 countries are covered by trade agreements. India has in fact very little commercial agreements, and they are currently negotiating with the European Union, as well as with the United Kingdom, “said the official.

Application of sanctions, China

The official also declared that the EU delegation should raise questions related to the sanctions imposed on Russia, adding that China’s desire is one of the main elements of the agenda in the India-EU relationship. “A specific point that I expect that the president raises in the context of the assault of Russia is not only our support for Ukraine, but also to the sanctions that we maintain on Russia and the cooperation that we have with India, that we want to continue and intensify around the application of these sanctions,” said the EU.