| Date: |
16-09-2010 |
| Subject: |
India, EU target free trade pact by December |
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NEW DELHI: In an effort to conclude the negotiations for the India-EU free trade pact by December, the two sides will hold a series of meetings in Brussels and here.
“We have a very busy timetable between now and the next India-EU Summit (scheduled in December),” Head of European Commission Delegation to India Daniele Smadja said here.
The first set of meetings at the level of chief negotiators is scheduled from next week at Brussels.“Then at the beginning of October we have our colleagues from Brussels in Delhi for one week (for meetings) with their counterparts...,” she added. There is also a likelihood of ministerial level talks for the Bilateral Investment and Trade Agreement (BITA) before the summit scheduled in December at Brussels. “We have also probably a meeting between commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma and EU trade commissioner Karl De Gucht,” she said.
During the meetings, the two sides would be discussing the level of market access and tariff concessions on reciprocatory basis. “We have commitments and a deadline...now what is left is to have the capacity to put on the table — concessions. Because, you know trade negotiations are about give and take,” the European official said.
India and 27-nation EU are engaged in negotiations for a market opening pact since 2007 and 10-round of talks have already taken place.
She further said the negotiators would also have to ensure that all the stakeholders in the industry or business community are ready to go with the deal.
“We (EU and India) have to take into the account of the voice which are coming from the civil society,” Smadja said.
This assumes significance as some non-governmental organisations in Europe are demanding that the proposed pact should address concerns on issues like child labour and environment.
However, India has maintained there are other foras to discuss such matters.
Merchandise trade between India and EU was valued at about USD 75 billion in 2009-10.
Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com
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