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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

Volvo does not plan to assemble cars in India
25-Jul-2011     Financial Chronicle
Swedish carmaker Volvo says it does not plan to assemble cars in India as it was expecting an import duty cut on completely built units, assembled in Sweden, under the India-EU free trade agreement likely to be finalised shortly.
Free trade jitters in region
20-Jul-2011    
An indigenous group from the Northeast today added steam to the dissent against the European Union-India Free Trade Agreement demanding transparency in the talks which have been held under “secrecy” for the last four years.
Wine and spirits delay EU FTA with India
18-Jul-2011     Indian Wine Academy
After a barrage of print media giving high hopes for the EU to sign FTA with India thus reducing duties on imported wines and spirits from EU, it has resigned to the reality that the Free Trade Agreement between the two in the final stage is now being delayed because of the issue of lowering of duties on wines & spirits and cars, with India refusing to lower the tariffs due to a strong domestic lobby.
EU seeks huge duty cuts on auto, wines in its FTA with India
17-Jul-2011    
The European Union has sought substantial reduction or even elimination of duties in export of its automobiles, wines and spirits to India as a "must have" in the free trade agreement being negotiated between the two sides.
EU-India FTA - the data exclusivity dilemma
15-Jul-2011     Public Service Europe
Conflict between European and Indian pharma industries might be played out again in FTAs with other nations
Pressing for strong IPR regime in FTA with India: EU tells WTO
10-Jul-2011    
The European Union has informed the WTO that it is pressing for inclusion of strong IPR regime in the free trade agreement under negotiations with India even as the Commerce Ministry has maintained that New Delhi will not yield to the EU on this issue.
Millions will die if India stops AIDS drugs -- UN
6-Jul-2011     Reuters
Millions of people dependent on life-saving generic drugs to treat HIV/AIDS will die if India stops producing cheap drugs for the disease due to its trade deal with the European Union, the head of UNAIDS warned on Tuesday.
A deal still on the drawing board
5-Jul-2011    
The India-EU free trade agreement is yet to see daylight. Labour and environmental issues may derail it, writes Biswajit Dhar
India rejects clause on litigation
4-Jul-2011    
Despite a demand by the European Union (EU), India is unlikely to allow a clause in a proposed trade pact with the bloc that permits an overseas investor to sue a host country at an international dispute settlement agency.
Indian industry has its fears on FTAs with European nations
28-Jun-2011    
The India government is planning Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with European countries. However, Indian industry is anxious as Europeans are sensitive to issues which are considered extraneous to trade in this part of the world.