India – EU Relations FTA Negotiations Restart

Table of Contents

Question

In the aftermath of Covid-19 pandemic, India and EU who are considered natural partners have a new opening to re-evaluate their engagement. Discuss

India–European Economic Community (EEC) relations were established in the early 1960s.
The current relations between EU & India are currently defined by the 1994 EU–India Cooperation Agreement. The Joint Political Statement of 1993 and the 1994 Co-operation Agreement were the foundational agreements for the bilateral partnership.
Since 2000, India-EU formally began annual summits which laid the roadmap for future partnership. In 2004, India and European Union became “Strategic Partners”.

India – EU
- Trade
- Connectivity
- Climate Change
- Balance China
- Multipolarity
- Development of Indo-Pacific

India and the European Union concluded the first round of negotiations for India-EU Trade and Investment Agreements, including the Geographical Indicators (GI).
India’s FTA negotiations were led by Chief Negotiator Nidhi Mani Tripathi, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce and EU was represented by its Chief Negotiator, Mr. Christophe Kiener.
During this Round 52 technical Sessions covering 18 policy areas of FTA and 7 Sessions on Investment Protection and GIs were held.

In general, EU agreements are both wide and deep, implying that they not only cover a large range of issues that goes beyond liberalisation of trade in goods and services and investment, but they also take binding commitments for most issues.
1. Sustainable development in Trade – GHG Emission Standards
2. Nature of enterprises – Labour Standards
3. Higher Phyto-Sanitary standards
4. Intertional Dispute Settlement etc