Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal will visit Brussels on October 27-28 to hold high-level talks with Maros Sefcovic, executive vice-president and European commissioner for trade of the European Union, as both sides intensify efforts to finalise the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).The visit comes at a crucial stage of the ongoing FTA negotiations, following the 14th round of talks between India and the EU from October 6-10. The commerce ministry stated that Goyal’s engagements aim to provide strategic direction and “political impetus” to the talks, while reviewing progress and identifying areas requiring further convergence, as per news agency ANI.Discussions are expected to cover key aspects of the proposed FTA, including market access, non-tariff measures, and regulatory cooperation. The visit will also include a bilateral meeting and a working dinner with Commissioner Sefcovic, where both leaders are expected to reaffirm their shared ambition to strengthen the India-EU trade and economic partnership.Since the resumption of negotiations in June 2022, India and the EU have aimed to conclude a comprehensive, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade agreement. The FTA talks cover 23 policy areas or chapters, including trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights, dispute settlement, government procurement, sustainable development, and geographical indications, news agency PTI reported.India’s bilateral trade in goods with the EU was $136.53 billion in 2024-25, with exports worth $75.85 billion and imports worth $60.68 billion, making the bloc India’s largest trading partner for goods. The EU market accounts for about 17% of India’s total exports, while EU exports to India constitute 9% of its total overseas shipments, PTI reported.Key negotiation areas include EU demands for significant duty cuts on automobiles and medical devices, tax reductions on products like wine, spirits, meat, and poultry, and a robust intellectual property framework. For India, exports such as readymade garments, pharmaceuticals, steel, petroleum products, and electrical machinery could become more competitive if the pact is concluded successfully, PTI added.The minister’s visit follows his earlier engagements in Germany and builds on the momentum from the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this year, which underscored the importance of a future-ready trade relationship that promotes prosperity, sustainability, and innovation.
