EU team heads to India for FTA talks, focus on services, investments
New Delhi: A 15-member team from the European Union (EU) will travel to New Delhi on 19 February for a week of deliberations on a free trade agreement (FTA) with India, two people aware of the matter said. The upcoming seventh round of negotiations is expected to centre on services and investments, building on earlier talks that covered goods and public procurement. Key issues include India’s trade disputes at the World Trade Organization regarding products like mobile phones and components, as well as integrated circuits and optical instruments, said one of the persons cited above, requesting anonymity.
Geographical indications (GIs) will also be on the agenda, with both sides aiming to advance discussions in this area. According to the EU’s website, these bilateral agreements aim for substantial advancements in the protection of geographical indications, enhancing GI safeguards within the trade partner’s territory to a standard akin to that upheld by the EU. Besides rules and principles, the agreements include lists of GIs to be protected under FTAs.
“The EU is pushing its demand to remove trade barriers for small firms, and open the Indian procurement market. For India, sectors like agriculture, dairy and micro, small and medium enterprises are very sensitive and New Delhi would not like to open these sectors to European producers," said the other person cited above. India will negotiate on these sectors based on reciprocity and equity, prioritizing domestic interests, the person noted.
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