bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo
  1. Negotiations

EU-India


The European Union and India launched negotiations on a bilateral free trade and investment agreement in June 2007. However, between the governments, a number of controversies have been plaguing the talks. Delhi wants Brussels to relax its stringent food safety criteria which penalise Indian farm and fishery exports and to make it easier for Indian professionals to work in the EU. Europe is primarily out to win major openings of India’s services sector and broad liberalisation of foreign investment, while India does not want to discuss allowing European firms to compete in India’s government procurement market.

Indian social movements, including fisherfolk and labour unions, people living with HIV/AIDS and other health activists have been mobilizing against the FTA. International actions and campaigns have particularly targeted the proposed intellectual property provisions of the agreement, and the impact of the FTA on access to medicines.

last update: May 2012
Photo: MSF

Oppn wants FTA with EU to be discussed in parliament
3-May-2013    
The main opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party and Left parties joined hands to demand that union government should discuss the crucial free trade agreement with European Union before a final decision is taken by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
India, European Union may skirt thorny Issues, ink FTA
3-May-2013     Economic Times
India and the European Union could consider the option of signing a bilateral trade deal without the contentious issues when their chief negotiator meet on May 15, a senior commerce department official told ET.
EU free-trade car 'quota' buzz has makers in a tizzy
22-Apr-2013     DNA
India's passenger vehicle industry is in a tizzy over the import quota proposed in the free trade agreement between India and the European Union.
India-EU FTA: A lose-lose for India
22-Apr-2013     NewsClick
Newsclick discusses with Biswajit Dhar, Director General of Research and Information System for Developing Countries, the India-EU Free Trade Agreement and its fall-outs.
No changing intellectual property laws: Sharma
18-Apr-2013     Hindu Business Line
India wíll not tighten laws on intellectual property or go beyond the global intellectual property agreement, TRIPS, in the free trade agreement (FTA) being negotiated with the European Union.
India, EU fail to sort out differences on free trade agreement
16-Apr-2013     Livemint
Both sides reiterated their positions and scheduled another ministerial meeting in June to review progress in talks
India, European Union open new round of talks on FTA
16-Apr-2013    
India and the European Union (EU) on Monday opened a new round of trade talks in an attempt to overcome their remaining differences, which have been holding back the signing of a long-awaited free trade agreement ( FTA).
India-EU FTA: Dairy sector seeks insulation
15-Apr-2013     Hindu Business Line
India's dairy industry, led by the country’s largest milk cooperative that owns the Amul brand, has opposed the proposed India-EU free trade agreement on the ground that it would led to subsidised dairy products from Europe flooding India.
Crucial meeting of India, EU on FTA tomorrow to iron out issues
14-Apr-2013     Economic Times
India and EU will hold a crucial meeting on the proposed free trade agreement tomorrow in Brussels to iron out the impediments in concluding of the bilateral pact.
India-EU FTA won't hit generic drugs industry: EU envoy
13-Apr-2013    
The much-hyped bilateral trade and investment agreement (BTIA) between India and the European Union (EU) would not impact the Indian generic drugs industry or lead to a change in the country's patent law, João Cravinho, EU ambassador to India, said on Friday.