India-EU FTA talks: Piyush Goyal to visit Brussels this week; talks enter final phase

Union commerce and manufacture curate Piyush Goyal volition question to Brussels this week for high-level discussions with the European Union connected the long-pending India-EU escaped commercialized agreement, with negotiations present successful their last and astir challenging phase.According to an official, Goyal volition beryllium successful Brussels connected January 8 and 9, wherever helium is scheduled to conscionable Maros Sefcovic, enforcement vice-president and European commissioner for trade. The curate is expected to permission India connected Tuesday night. Commerce caput Rajesh Agrawal volition besides beryllium successful Brussels for the talks.Ahead of the Brussels visit, Goyal volition halt successful Liechtenstein connected January 7 to clasp discussions aimed astatine expanding commercialized and concern ties betwixt the 2 countries. Liechtenstein is simply a subordinate of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which besides includes Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. India and the EFTA bloc implemented a escaped commercialized statement connected October 1, 2025.The Brussels sojourn comes astatine a captious infinitesimal for the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), arsenic some sides measurement up efforts to adjacent negotiations that person been nether treatment for respective years. The talks person reached what officials picture arsenic the astir analyzable stage, with delicate issues inactive requiring resolution.

Earlier, connected December 15, commerce caput Agrawal said negotiations with the 27-nation EU bloc had entered the “most difficult” phase. He noted that some sides were actively moving to span gaps and determination towards an aboriginal conclusion. Among the issues nether treatment is the European Union’s c borderline accommodation mechanics (CBAM), which has implications for Indian exports, arsenic per quality bureau PTI.The 16th circular of India-EU FTA negotiations was held from December 3 to 9, during which cardinal chapters were discussed.

These included commercialized successful goods and services, investment, rules of root and method barriers to trade.India and the EU had resumed talks for a broad escaped commercialized statement successful June 2022, on with negotiations connected an concern extortion pact and an statement connected geographical indications. These talks were revived aft an eight-year gap, pursuing their suspension successful 2013 owed to differences implicit marketplace entree commitments.The European Union is India’s largest trading spouse successful goods. Bilateral commercialized successful goods stood astatine $136.53 cardinal successful 2024-25, with Indian exports worthy $75.85 cardinal and imports astatine $60.68 billion, reported PTI. The EU accounts for astir 17 per cent of India’s full exports, portion exports to India marque up astir 9 per cent of the bloc’s planetary shipments.The EU has been seeking important tariff reductions successful sectors specified arsenic automobiles and aesculapian devices, on with little taxes connected products including wine, spirits, nutrient and poultry.

It is besides pushing for a stronger intelligence spot rights regime. On the different hand, Indian exporters spot large gains if the statement is concluded, peculiarly successful sectors specified arsenic garments, pharmaceuticals, steel, petroleum products and electrical machinery.The India-EU commercialized negotiations span 23 chapters, covering areas ranging from customs and commercialized facilitation to authorities procurement, quality colony and sustainable development.