EU Parliamentary trade delegation in India to discuss FTA progress

Seven EU Parliament members to meet Indian officials, industry bodies, and civil society groups to assess progress on the India-EU free trade agreement

A delegation of seven Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade is on a three-day visit to India until Wednesday to discuss trade, economic, and investment relations between the European Union (EU) and India.

 

The visit comes just a couple of months ahead of the deadline to conclude negotiations for the India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) by the end of 2025.

 

The EU’s International Trade Committee has been closely monitoring the negotiations between the EU and India, and any agreement reached will be subject to the consent of the European Parliament, a statement issued by the European Parliament said. 

 

“We look forward to discussing the issues at stake as both sides have a mutual interest in reaching a meaningful bilateral agreement and in protecting the rules-based multilateral trade order,” the delegation said in the statement.

 

Meetings to cover investment, labour, and sustainability

 

During its stay in India, the delegation will engage with a variety of stakeholders to receive first-hand information on the opportunities and challenges posed by the ongoing trade negotiations, it said.

 

The delegation is slated to hold meetings at both ministerial and parliamentary levels. It will meet representatives of the Federation of European Business in India and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Specific meetings will also be organised with civil society groups working on sustainability issues and with workers’ and employers’ representatives, as well as organisations focusing on labour rights, the statement added.