On December 8-9, Minister of Trade and Industry Piyush Goyal and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic reviewed the progress of the negotiations.
They held a dialogue to accelerate the conclusion of the India-EU FTA and deepen trade relations, the commerce ministry said in a statement.
The discussions were aimed at providing strategic direction to the FTA negotiating teams as both sides strive to conclude the deal at the earliest, he said.
The meeting between the two men takes place in the context of technical discussions held from December 3 to 9 on key chapters of the agreement covering market access for goods, rules of origin, services and technical barriers to trade.
“Both parties took note of the constant progress made on the various areas of negotiation and agreed on the need to maintain the current dynamic through continuous exchanges,” the press release added.
The ministerial-level discussions reaffirmed the strong political determination of both sides to resolve outstanding issues through constructive engagement and work towards a comprehensive and mutually beneficial outcome, the statement added.
The EU team’s visit “concluded with both sides expressing their confidence and renewed determination to intensify their efforts towards the rapid conclusion of a modern, comprehensive and mutually beneficial agreement”, the ministry said.
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