FTA talks: EU negotiators in New Delhi to deliberate on core trade areas

New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) India and the European Union (EU) are set to negotiate this week on core areas, including trade in goods, trade in services and rules of origin, along with technical and institutional matters, an official statement said on Monday.

A senior team of EU negotiators is in New Delhi from November 3-7 for negotiations with Indian counterparts on the proposed India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The negotiations gained momentum with the virtual meeting between Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and European Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and Agriculture and Food Commissioner, Christophe Hansen.

As part of the visit, Sabine Weyand, Director-General for Trade at the European Commission (EU DG Trade), will be in New Delhi on November 5-6 for high-level talks with Commerce Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal on key technical and policy issues.

The engagements aim to resolve key outstanding issues and advance the agreement toward a balanced and equitable framework that benefits both sides, according to a Commerce Ministry statement.

The discussions are guided by a shared vision of a modern, robust, and future-ready FTA that reflects the priorities and sensitivities of both India and the EU.

The statement further added that the visit follows Union Minister Goyal’s official visit to Brussels on October 27-28, where he held forward-looking discussions with Sefcovic.

"These consultations reaffirm the commitment of both sides to intensify engagement and facilitate a comprehensive trade agreement," the statement said.

The EU delegation’s visit underscores the joint determination of India and the European Union to conclude a fair and balanced agreement, fostering trade, investment, innovation, and sustainable growth.

Goyal said last week that India is at an advanced stage of discussions with both the European Union and the US for trade deals. He stated that India today negotiates with advanced countries and is keen to contribute to their future, "as we would like them to contribute to our future for a Viksit Bharat".

--IANS

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