India, EU begin negotiations to resolve key issues in proposed bilateral free trade deal

New Delhi: India and the European Union on Monday began discussions to resolve key outstanding issues in their proposed free trade agreement (FTA), the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said, adding that the focus would be on key areas such as trade in goods, services, rules of origin and technical and institutional issues.

Minister of Trade and Industry, Piyush Goyal, had a virtual meeting with MaroS Šefcovic, the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, and the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, Christophe Hansen. European negotiators are in Delhi from November 3 to 7 for the negotiations.

“These commitments aim to resolve key outstanding issues and advance the agreement towards a balanced and equitable framework that benefits both parties,” the ministry said in a statement.
The discussions will “advance the agreement towards a balanced and equitable framework that benefits both parties.”

“The discussions are guided by a shared vision of a modern, robust and future-ready FTA, which reflects the priorities and sensitivities of India and the EU,” the ministry said.

As part of the visit, Sabine Weyand, Director-General for Trade at the European Commission, will travel to Delhi on November 5-6 to hold discussions with Indian Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal on key technical and policy issues. “These consultations reaffirm the commitment of both parties to intensify their engagement and facilitate a comprehensive trade agreement,” he said. The EU delegation’s visit underlines the shared determination of India and the EU to conclude a fair and balanced agreement, promoting trade, investment, innovation and sustainable growth, according to the ministry.