FoodDrinkEurope welcomes the conclusion of the long-awaited EU-India free trade agreement

Following the official announcements at the EU-India Summit, FoodDrinkEurope, representing the European food and drink industry, welcomes the outcome reached by the EU and India in their trade negotiations.

The conclusion of negotiations marks a major step forward in EU-India relations, and will lead to the creation of a market of close to 2 billion consumers, greatly supporting the objective of trade diversification.

From an EU food and drink perspective, its relevance lies in the extent to which it improves market access conditions and enhances predictability for EU operators seeking to develop business in India's large and fast-growing market. Given the traditionally complex and challenging nature of the Indian market, these improvements are particularly welcome.

Overall, the outcome represents a key milestone and positive development for EU food and drink. While tariff reduction and elimination are a concrete and almost immediate benefit of the agreement, FoodDrinkEurope recognises that these alone are not sufficient to fully unlock the potential of this market.

We welcome the platforms for dialogue and cooperation that will be set up under the FTA to address non-tariff barriers and strengthen regulatory cooperation. Given the complexity of the Indian market, the proper functioning of these platforms will be essential to allow EU food and drink operators to reap the full benefits of the agreement.