India-EU FTA talks: Senior EU negotiators in New Delhi for talks

A senior EU negotiating team is in New Delhi to advance the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. The visit, following Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's trip to Brussels, aims to resolve key issues and forge a balanced, future-ready trade deal.

A senior team of negotiators from the European Union (EU) is in New Delhi from November 3 to 7 for negotiations with the Indian counterparts on the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Monday in an official statement. As per the statement, the engagements aim to resolve key outstanding issues and advance the agreement toward a balanced and equitable framework that benefits both sides.

Building on Recent High-Level Talks

The visit follows Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal's official visit to Brussels (October 27-28), where he held forward-looking discussions with Maros Sefcovic, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security. These consultations reaffirm the commitment of both sides to intensify engagement and facilitate a comprehensive trade agreement.

Focus on Core Trade and Technical Matters

"Deliberations during the week will focus on core areas, including trade in goods, trade in services, rules of origin amongst others along with technical and institutional matters. 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 said. It further observed that the negotiations gained momentum with the virtual meeting between Piyush Goyal and EU's Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maros Sefcovic and Agriculture & Food Commissioner, Christophe Hansen on Monday.

Senior Officials to Discuss Key Policy Issues

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 India's Commerce Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal on key technical and policy issues, 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. (ANI)

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