Piyush Goyal holds talks with EU Trade Commissioner to expedite FTA 

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal held discussions with Maros Sefcovic, European Union's Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, to discuss India-EU FTA (free trade agreement) and deepen trade relationship, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry informed on Tuesday. 

The discussions, held on Monday and Tuesday, were aimed at providing strategic guidance to the FTA negotiating teams as both sides work towards concluding the agreement at the earliest.

Earlier, the technical discussions were held from 3-9 December in New Delhi across key chapters of India-EU FTA covering Market Access for Goods, Rules of Origin, Services, Technical Barriers to Trade, and Trade and Sustainable Development. 

During their engagement, Goyal and the EU Trade Commissioner carried out detailed deliberations across key areas of the proposed agreement. "Both sides took note of the steady progress achieved across various negotiating tracks and agreed on the need to sustain the current momentum through continued exchanges," the ministry said. Both sides stressed the strategic importance of concluding a fair, balanced, and ambitious agreement. 

The minister said that the EU Trade Commissioner's visit to New Delhi represented a significant milestone in the ongoing India–EU trade dialogue. "Anchored in the shared principles of prosperity, sustainability, and innovation, the visit concluded with both parties expressing confidence and a renewed determination to intensify efforts toward the early conclusion of a modern, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial agreement," it added. 

PTI reported on Monday that differences that still needed to be ironed out in certain areas included steel, carbon tax, automobiles and non-tariff barriers.
    
India's bilateral trade in goods with the EU was $136.53 billion in 2024-25 (exports worth $75.85 billion and imports worth $60.68 billion), making it the largest trading partner for goods. The EU market accounts for about 17 per cent of India's total exports. The EU is seeking significant duty cuts in automobiles and medical devices, and wants tax reduction in products like wine, spirits, meat, poultry, and a strong intellectual property regime.
    
If the FTA goes through, Indian goods such as readymade garments, pharmaceuticals, steel, petroleum products, and electrical machinery, can become more competitive in the EU market.