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  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

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.
Manmohan Singh, Angela Merkel agree on concluding India-EU FTA
12-Apr-2013     Indian Express
India and Germany today set a target of concluding the long-awaited India-EU FTA (Free Trade Agreement) this year notwithstanding a number of unresolved issued and BJP's demand for Parliamentary scrutiny this "highly controversial" move.
House Panel asks PM to defer signing of India-EU FTA
11-Apr-2013    
Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce Shanta Kumar wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday, asking him to put off signing of the India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) till the committee deliberates on the issues raised before it.
Germany voices support for FTA between India and EU
11-Apr-2013    
Germany has voiced its support for an early conclusion of the long drawn out negotiations between India and the European Union on a free trade agreement, saying the move will be in the interest of both countries.
India-EU FTA will imperil lives, local industry, say activists
11-Apr-2013     Firstpost
A large number of people living with HIV, cancer patients and health activists took to the streets of Delhi today asking government of India not to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) as it would be detrimental to the interests of tens of thousands of people like them in the country.
India-EU FTA talks stuck on greater concessions
10-Apr-2013     Indian Express
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are likely to find large unfinished paragraphs in their India-EU free trade agreement when they meet this week.
Automakers fear free trade pact with EU will hit investments
10-Apr-2013     Hindu Businessline
Indian auto industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) on Monday came with a White Paper on the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (EU-FTA). It has said the pact will curtail investments in automotive manufacturing in India and, consequently, employment opportunities.
Cambodian people’s statement on the EU-India free trade agreement on generic drugs
10-Apr-2013     Infojustice
We, Cambodian garment workers, sex workers, entertainment workers, people living with HIV, LGBTs, university students, feminists and human right activists from different networks and organisations came together to express our concern about the threat posed by the forthcoming EU-India free trade agreement to the lives of millions of people in Cambodia and many other developing countries across the world.