EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič said on Monday whether Brussels and Delhi could conclude their free trade deal by the end of the year.
A deal with India would be the EU’s biggest to date, opening access to a market representing around 25% of the world’s population.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of trade ministers in Brussels, the commissioner said a final round of negotiations was planned in India before Christmas. He highlighted the 2025 deadline set in February by President Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The last mile is always the most difficult,” Šefčovič said, emphasizing that the teams had made solid progress before the December negotiations. “Will we be able to resolve everything? I don’t know, I can only say, on behalf of the EU negotiators and myself, that we are definitely doing our best.”
In September, Šefčovič told Euractiv that the negotiations were “extremely difficult”, describing Indian negotiators as “probably the toughest on the planet”.
The trade and sustainability chapters remain sticking points for Delhi, as the country clashes with the EU over how to resolve disputes arising from breaches of obligations and sanctions. India has also demanded exemptions from key EU climate laws – including the carbon border tax – which Brussels has requested. would have rejected.
Two diplomats told Euractiv that negotiations could take place in early 2026, aiming to finalize a deal before the EU-India summit likely scheduled for January.
A delegation of MEPs responsible for trade visited India earlier this month, with some describing the discussions as encouraging. Irish Liberal MEP Barry Cowen suggested Delhi appeared willing to lower high tariffs on spirits, currently at 150%, to levels agreed with the UK, to 75% when the deal comes into force and to 40% over ten years.
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