New Delhi: A delegation from the European Union’s (EU) Committee on International Trade will visit India from October 27 to 29 to advance discussions on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), with just over two months remaining to meet the target deadline for concluding the deal. The seven-member delegation will be led by Cristina Maestre, the committee’s standing rapporteur for India, and Brando Benifei.
“The main goal of this visit is to enhance mutual understanding amid ongoing trade negotiations between India and the EU,” Maestre and Benifei said. “The mission is timely, coming months ahead of the deadline to conclude the Free Trade Agreement by the end of 2025. Both sides are committed to achieving a meaningful bilateral agreement while upholding the rules-based multilateral trade order.”
During the visit, the European Parliament members will engage with government officials, business associations, and civil society organisations. Meetings are scheduled with ministerial and parliamentary officials, the Federation of European Business in India, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), labour rights groups, and organisations working on sustainability issues. Insights from these discussions will help the EU committee assess opportunities and challenges in the negotiations.
The International Trade Committee continues to scrutinise the India-EU trade talks, and any agreement reached will require the European Parliament’s approval. The 14th round of FTA negotiations, held in Brussels on October 10, focused on core issues, including market access, rules of origin, and the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) chapter, which was closed. Future technical discussions are expected to continue through a mix of in-person and virtual meetings at the Chief Negotiators’ level, alongside ongoing political engagement.
The FTA talks have gained momentum recently due to global trade uncertainties and the EU and India’s shared interest in strengthening economic ties. India is the EU’s 9th largest trading partner, representing 2.2% of EU goods trade in 2023, while the EU is India’s largest trading partner, accounting for €124 billion in goods trade and €59.7 billion in services trade that year.
