A visiting European Union delegation will meet commerce and trade minister Piyush Goyal on Monday to evaluate progress in negotiations on the proposed India-EU free trade settlement (FTA), as each side push to conclude talks inside a year-end deadline, an official advised PTI. The assembly comes amid efforts to slim variations in vital areas masking each items and providers, with the EU group, led by Sabine Weyand of the Directorate-General for Trade, holding discussions in New Delhi to iron out excellent issues.
“The EU team will meet the minister on Monday,” the official stated, including that some gaps nonetheless stay in areas comparable to metal, carbon tax, vehicles and non-tariff limitations.India and the 27-nation EU bloc had resumed negotiations in June 2022 for a complete FTA, an funding safety settlement and a pact on geographical indications after talks have been stalled in 2013 due to variations over market entry.The EU is at the moment India’s largest buying and selling companion in items. Bilateral trade stood at $ 136.53 billion in 2024-25, with Indian exports at $ 75.85 billion and imports at $ 60.68 billion. The EU accounts for about 17 per cent of India’s complete exports, whereas shipments to India make up round 9 per cent of the bloc’s abroad exports.Besides looking for vital responsibility cuts on vehicles and medical gadgets, the EU is urgent for tariff reductions on merchandise comparable to wine, spirits, meat and poultry, together with a robust mental property regime.Indian exports to the EU — together with readymade clothes, prescribed drugs, metal, petroleum merchandise and electrical equipment — might achieve competitiveness if the settlement is finalised.The India-EU trade pact negotiations span 23 chapters, masking areas comparable to trade in items and providers, funding, guidelines of origin, customs and trade facilitation, authorities procurement, dispute settlement, mental property rights and geographical indications, in accordance to officers.
