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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

New EU envoy for pushing trade pact with India
30-Sep-2007     Indian Muslims
Ahead of the India-European Union (EU) summit on Nov 30, Daniele Smadja, the new envoy of the European Commission, Friday called for pushing negotiations on a broad-based trade and investment agreement between the two sides.
India, EU to talk services agreement
26-Sep-2007     Economic Times
“For India, services is the most important aspect of the India-EU bilateral pact,” a commerce department official said.
Kerala to pressurise Centre on including fish in FTA
12-Sep-2007     New Kerala
The Kerala government is anxiously watching the move by the European Union to import 40 varieties of fish to India, as part of the proposed Indo-EU bilateral FTA, as it would adversely affect the state's traditional fishing sector.
What will India gain from the FTA with the EU?
15-Jul-2007     New Europe
The negotiations for an EU-India FTA could prove even more difficult to bring to a successful conclusion than the Doha development negotiations.
Trade: EU policies 'predatory'
7-Jul-2007     IPS
The European Union's trade policy has been condemned as "predatory" by a leading anti-poverty campaigner from India.
EU may not put human rights condition for FTA
6-Jul-2007    
The European Union may back off from its insistence on including non-trade issues like human rights in the proposed free trade pact with India.
FTA with EU would get a boost from pally Portugal
3-Jul-2007    
With Portugal taking presidency of the European Union on July 1, strong ties with India would help expedite the proposed free trade agreement between India and the EU.
India, EU start talks on FTA
29-Jun-2007    
As part of its policy to push for Free Trade Agreements with major trading partners, India has formally launched negotiations with the European Union for an ambitious and comprehensive FTA aimed at removing barriers across all sectors including investment and services.
EU to use FTA to access Indian mkt for agri goods
27-Jun-2007    
Having failed to get any concession on fast-expanding Indian market for food products in the WTO talks, the European Union will push for achieving a similar objective in its bilateral negotiations with New Delhi on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.
India wants EU to get internal consensus on FTA issues
15-Jun-2007     The Hindu
Learning from its Asean experience, India has asked the European Union to reach an internal consensus before putting offers on the negotiating table for the proposed comprehensive trade and investment agreement, for which talks will start later this month.