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

Keen interest in completing Indo-EU FTA: German envoy
3-Oct-2012     SME Times
The German envoy to India Wednesday said the business communities of both countries have shown tremendous interest in completing the India-European Union free trade agreement.
Batting for $100-billion BPO industry: India links free trade agreement with EU to data-secure tag
10-Sep-2012     Economic Times
India has upped the ante in its bid to get data-secure status from the European Union by linking it with free trade agreement.
'India, EU free trade agreement facing bureaucratic hurdles'
7-Sep-2012     PTI
Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb blames special interests and bureaucratic obstacles for the delay in signing of the EU-India FTA.
EU launches probe into dumping of Indian steel wire
13-Aug-2012     Reuters
The European Commission said it had received an anti-dumping complaint by European steel producers' group Eurofer against imports of stainless steel wires from India.
'Services sector, sticking point in India-EU free trade talks'
8-Aug-2012     PTI
India and the European Union are facing “difficulties” relating to the services sector in signing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two sides, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders said here today.
Free trade pact with EU likely by year-end
21-Jul-2012    
India's Ministry of Commerce is confident of concluding the Free Trade Agreement with the European Union by the end of the year.
India protests EU study on its data laws
10-Jul-2012     ZDNet
Country upset over European Union's decision to examine if it's "data secure" before committing to bilateral free trade agreement aimed at boosting outsourcing flow between region and India.
India to talk retail FDI at EU free-trade meet
26-Jun-2012     DNA India
At the meeting with the European Trade Commission on June 26 in Brussels, the Indian delegation, headed by commerce minister Anand Sharma, will focus on the government’s achievements including opening up single-brand retail to foreign direct investment.
India, EU to take stock of proposed free trade pact on Tuesday
24-Jun-2012     PTI
India and EU are scheduled to take stock of the much-delayed negotiations on the proposed free trade agreement at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.
Minister-level meeting next month on India-EU free trade agreement
20-May-2012    
In a bid to fast track the much-delayed negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement between India and European Union, commerce minister Anand Sharma will hold comprehensive discussions with EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht next month in Brussels.