New Delhi, January 5 (KNN) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will visit Brussels this week for discussions with European Union officials on the proposed India-EU free trade agreement (FTA), as negotiations enter their final stages, an official said.
Goyal is expected to meet Maros Sefcovic, executive vice-president of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Trade, during his two-day visit on January 8-9. The minister is expected to leave India on Tuesday evening, the official told PTI.
Visit to Liechtenstein before the Brussels negotiations
Ahead of his engagements in Brussels, Goyal will visit Liechtenstein on January 7 to hold discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties.
Liechtenstein is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), alongside Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. India and EFTA implemented a free trade agreement on October 1, 2025.
India-EU negotiations at a critical juncture
Goyal’s visit to Brussels comes at a crucial time in the India-EU FTA negotiations, with both sides intensifying efforts to conclude a comprehensive and balanced agreement at the earliest.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal will also be in Brussels during this period.
Earlier, on December 15, Agrawal had said negotiations with the 27-member European bloc had entered the “most difficult” phase with both sides working to bridge remaining differences. He noted that the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) proposed by the European Union is among the issues under discussion.
The 16th round of negotiations concluded earlier this month, from December 3 to 9, during which key chapters covering goods, services, investments, rules of origin and technical barriers to trade were discussed.
Key requirements and potential gains
The EU has called for significant tariff reductions in sectors such as automobiles and medical devices, as well as tax cuts on products such as wine, spirits, meat and poultry, as well as stronger commitments on intellectual property protection.
From India’s perspective, a successful deal could improve the competitiveness of exports such as ready-made garments, pharmaceuticals, steel, petroleum products and electrical machinery in the European market.
The proposed trade agreement covers 23 policy areas, including trade in goods and services, investment, trade remedies, rules of origin, customs and trade facilitation, competition, government procurement, dispute resolution, intellectual property rights, geographical indications and sustainable development.
(KNN Office)
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