New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) To advance the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations, the EU technical team, led by Director General for Trade Sabine Weyand, will visit India next week with the objective of achieving a “constructive conclusion based on the potential solutions identified over the past two days”, an official statement said on Wednesday.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, visited Brussels from October 26-28 and had productive and meaningful engagements with Maros Sefcovic, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security and his team on outstanding issues related to the ongoing India-EU FTA negotiations.

“Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to conclude the India-EU FTA by the end of 2025, following the clear direction from Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen during the College of Commissioners’ visit to New Delhi in February 2025,” according to the official statement.

The engagement focused on achieving a mutually beneficial, balanced and equitable trade agreement, reflecting the depth of political trust and the strategic ties between India and the European Union, and at the same time respecting each other’s sensitivities and priorities.

The statement further said that India recognises the importance of ensuring that the FTA remains balanced in addressing both tariff and non-tariff barriers and creating transparent and predictable regulatory frameworks that accelerate trade for both partners in the coming years.

There was intensive engagement to explore possible landing zones on the outstanding issues.

There was also a good discussion on India’s concerns on Non-Tariff Measures and the new EU regulations. During the negotiations, Goyal emphasised the need for preferential treatment for India’s key asks, particularly those with respect to labour-intensive sectors.

Both sides agreed to work closely to finalise the non-sensitive industrial tariff lines. They also agreed that issues related to Steel, Auto, CBAM, and other EU regulations still require further discussion, as these issues have higher sensitivities.

“India looks forward to working closely with the European Union to transform this vision into reality through shared innovation, balanced, equitable, and meaningful trade, and a collective commitment to peace and prosperity,” the statement noted.

—IANS

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