Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal visited Brussels from October 26–28, where he met with Maros Sefcovic, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, and his team to discuss outstanding issues in the ongoing India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
Both sides reiterated their goal of concluding the FTA by the end of 2025, in line with the direction given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the College of Commissioners’ visit to New Delhi in February 2025, the Minister of Commerce and Industry said in a statement. Discussions focused on achieving a balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement that takes into account the priorities and sensitivities of both partners.
Talks included efforts to identify possible solutions on remaining issues, including non-tariff measures and new EU regulations. India highlighted the need for preferential treatment in key labour-intensive sectors. Both parties agreed to continue work on finalising non-sensitive industrial tariff lines, while acknowledging that issues such as steel, automobiles, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and other EU regulations require further discussion.
The two sides agreed to maintain close engagement to move the negotiations forward. A technical team from the EU, led by the Director General for Trade, is scheduled to visit India next week to continue discussions and work toward possible solutions identified during the Brussels meetings.