Piyush Goyal to visit Brussels to discuss key areas of proposed FTA

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will visit Brussels, Belgium, on 27–28 October. The Minister’s visit aims to hold high-level discussions with Maroš Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President and European Commissioner for Trade of the European Union, according to a Commerce ministry statement on Sunday.

Discussions are expected to cover key areas of the proposed FTA, including market access, non-tariff measures, and regulatory cooperation. The visit will also serve to review progress achieved so far and to identify areas requiring further convergence.

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During his visit, Minister Goyal will also hold a bilateral meeting with Commissioner Šefčovič, followed by a working dinner, where both leaders are expected to reaffirm the shared ambition to strengthen the India–EU trade and economic partnership.

The development comes amid the India–EU partnership gaining renewed strategic depth following the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this year.

Notably, the two leaders had underscored the importance of a future-ready trade relationship that advances prosperity, sustainability, and innovation on both sides.

The ongoing India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations are at a crucial stage as both sides intensify efforts to conclude a comprehensive, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade agreement at the earliest.

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal has also held talks with European Commission (EC) Director General for Trade (DG-Trade) Sabine Weyand in Brussels.

In June 2022, India and the EU bloc resumed negotiations for a comprehensive FTA, an investment protection agreement and a pact on geographical indications after a gap of over eight years. It was stalled in 2013 due to differences on the level of opening up markets.