Piyush Goyal in Brussels on Oct 27-28 to give political impetus to trade pact talks

New Delhi: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will visit Brussels on October 27 for talks with his EU counterpart to give political impetus to the proposed trade pact, as the deadline to conclude negotiations nears. During the two-day visit, Goyal will meet Executive Vice-President and European Commissioner for Trade of the European Union Maros Sefcovic, the commerce ministry said on Sunday.

"The visit comes at a crucial stage in the ongoing India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, as both sides intensify efforts to conclude a comprehensive, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade agreement at the earliest," it said.

The minister's visit aims to provide strategic direction and "political impetus" to the talks, it added. 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," the ministry said. The EU team is also expected to visit the national capital this week for trade talks. Differences that still need to be ironed out in certain areas such as steel, automobiles and non-tariff barriers.