Mentors Comments:
1. Mention, briefly, the history of trade talks between India and EU
2. Why is it important for the two
3. What challenges does it hold?
The EU is India’s largest trading partner, accounting for roughly 15 percent of total trade in goods and services and also the largest source of FDI inflows to India, accounting for over one- fourth of the total. However, Negotiations for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the EU and India were launched in 2007 and suspended in 2013 due to a gap in the level of ambition between the EU and India. Given the subdued sentiment around foreign investment and trade currently, restoring growth to its normal level remains at the top of the government’s agenda. This would require a fresh approach toward India’s commerce and trade.
Following are the reasons for India to hasten talks with the EU on a free trade agreement-
1. India risks being left behind amidst a collapsing global trade architecture, rising protectionism and a new emphasis on bilateral FTAs.
2. India is the only major power lacking an FTA with any of its top trade partners, including the EU, the U.S., China and Gulf economies. This situation is not tenable as most trade is now driven either by FTAs or global value chains. The EU’s revived focus on FTAs could only exacerbate this risk for India.
3. Stuck in a ‘grey zone’, without preferential FTA tariffs or GSP+ status, India will struggle to keep exports competitive for Europe, its largest trade partner where 20% of its exports land up.
4. The collapse of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and concerns about excessive economic reliance on China have propelled the EU to become a little more pragmatic, which New Delhi should leverage before it’s too late.
5. The EU also offers India a unique regulatory model that balances growth, privacy and standards. India’s governance framework shares the European norms of democratic transparency and multi-stakeholder participation on a variety of new technological domains, from regulating artificial intelligence to 5G networks.
6. New Delhi must see this as a strategic premium that is not accounted for in a strict cost-benefit economic analysis.
Issues in India-EU Trade Relations
Intellectual property rights: There is disagreement over IP protection standards. The EU is keen that India should adopt stringent IP protection standards. For India, such a step could impact public health and seriously affect the Indian pharmaceutical sector. European pharmaceutical companies are wary of India’s patents law which prevents ever- greening, which allows companies to renew patents on old drugs by making incremental
changes.
India has reduced duties on parts and components but maintains 60 per cent import duties on fully-assembled cars. It is75 per cent in the case of cars with fob value above $40,000 and engine capacity 3000cc for petrol and 2500cc for diesel. This over-protectionism with respect to fully assembled cars remains the most contentious issue.
Services sector: India has demanded flexible regulations, greater access for Indian services and an easy visa requirement for Indian professionals. Europe is cautious about allowing this fearing an increased unemployment problem.
Agricultural trade is highly distorted in both the EU and India. Even though average MFN (most favoured nation) import duties on agricultural commodities in EU (13 per cent) are much lower than in India (33 per cent), EU’s peak tariff rates on certain products such as dairy (650 per cent), fruits and vegetables (156 per cent), and sugar and confectionary (133 per cent) are more than those in India.
Again, the fishery and dairy sectors in the EU are highly subsidised. There is fear of EU dairy products flooding Indian markets after the FTA. India wants the EU to cut its agricultural subsidies while the EU has interests in India reducing its duties on dairy products, poultry, farm and fisheries.
India also seeks data secure status from EU as the high cost of compliance with existing data protection laws and procedures renders many of its service providers uncompetitive.
European banks have been eyeing India’s relatively under tapped banking space. However, the surrender of banking licences by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and UBS shows that the burden of priority sector lending and financial inclusion has discouraged foreign banks.
India does not provide similar privileges to any other country. Subsequently, demands for the same would be raised by others.
Tax reduction on wines and spirits is not acceptable as these are regarded as ‘sin goods’ and the states which derive huge revenue from liquor sales would be reluctant to cut taxes.
Way forward
1. Beyond mere economic cost-benefit analysis, India must also approach an EU FTA from a geo-strategic perspective. New Delhi must realise the long-term strategic benefits of a trade deal with Europe.
2. When New Delhi speaks of Europe as a strategic partner to uphold a multipolar order, it must go beyond security and begin with the business of trade and technology.
3. Need to establish a regular ministerial high-level dialogue to strengthen engagement with India at a strategic level and to identify shared interests on economic, trade and investment issues.
4. The EU-India need constructive engagement in addressing global trade challenges in the World Trade Organization (WTO) to fight protectionism.
A trade pact is about give and take. Failing to conclude the EU-India FTA will be a lost opportunity when trade pacts such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (that together account for two-third of world GDP and one-third of world imports) are moving global trade away from MFN routes to bilateral/regional routes.
Comments
22 responses to “India-EU FTA is the next big thing in the relationship. Discuss the benefits and challenges of a potential trade deal between the two. (250 Words)”
India and EU trade relations are defined on the lines of EU-India trade agreement 1994. since then the relation between two has reached a height of US$104 billion IN 2018-2019.
EU is India highest trading partner with trade of almost 12.5% of overall trade. whereas India is EU 9th largest trading partner. major products that are being traded between the two are engineering goods, pharmaceuticals , gems and jewelry. in terms of service sector India is surplus with EU.
India is also accorded GSP status by EU.
But in the multi polar world trade relation between the two needs to be increased.
Benefits :
1- This will increase indias divergence from the traditional partners hence exploring new fields and offers.
2- EU turns out to be more stable partner in terms of trade then china and USA as they often indulge in trade wars , which effect the trade in India and the money market.
3- As EU represents more than one country hence India gets and opportunity to engage with multi developed countries in EU.
4- EU focus on growing technology and their implications will be a boost to Indias IT sector and future AI.
5- India is partnering with EU horizon 2020 initiative inline with health improvement will boost trade in pharmaceuticals.
6- EU countries being member of arctic region will give boost to indias nuclear energy programme.
7-India demographic dividend can be a help to EU market.
But in line to improve trade their are certain barriers like-
1- EU has time and questioned indias farming subsides and other non trade barriers are like hygiene etc.
2-In flow migration to EU via service sector is also a major concern.
3- EU has time and again questioned the India’s closed market and inflow of FDI.
4- there are also various technology driven restrictions imposed by India which are also a concern.
5-Poor regulation of finacial sector and cooperation tax evasion are issues raised by EU.
Hence India and EU should look each from for future trade partners and enhance their trade with each other. talks in relation with FTA need to be strengthen and trade barriers need to be eased off. This will not only help the growing Indian economy but also stagnant economy of EU.
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Write on paper.
No comments on the presentation.
The content is good.
But what is the way forward?
What should be done to make the issue solve?
You have to brief some points about it.
Structure is decent
Please review waiting for your valuable suggestions
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Underline imp points.
The content is ok.
What is the way forward?
Mention them in a proper sub-heading.
Even if the question is not asking about way forward directly, then also you should provide them in the answer.
The main body is ok
Pls review
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Decent answer.
The points are well discussed.
In certain parts of the answers, you tend not to underline imp points. Avoid this mistake.
All in all good answer.
Way forwards are very good.
Please revie first one deleted due to wrong copy attached
@neha
Please mention your payment ID from September AWE to get copies reviewed.
There is no point in making a map of the EU and India in this answer.
Your diagrams and graphs should be informative to the content of the answer and should be something that could have been explained in proper statement format as well but you used diagram to reflect that content. Keep this in mind.
No need to give that much detail of the background of Eu-India trade talks.
Just a brief mention will work.
The structure of the answer is confusing, especially on the 2nd page. It is not clear which direction it is going.
Work on it.
Good way forward.
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Please review
Hi @sahithya kasiraju
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Good intro.
All in all good direction.
The answer is well-tried.
It has all the necessary components in it.
way forwards are the real gem.
keep writing
MOJO9803R00N96087322
Hi Megha
Very good answer.
Could have added more dimensions in the discussion of the roadblocks in the trade talks.
Apart from that, a very good structure.
The presentation has been your forte.
Content is good and to the point.
Decent way forwards.
Q3
Hi Sourav
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The discussion in the challenges has nothing to do with the challenges regarding India-EU trade talks. There are specific points regarding why trade talks are stuck. It has nothing to do with the US-China trade war or protectionism or WTO, etc. Read the model answer for this part.
Way forward is not to the mark because challenges are not discussed in the right manner.
Read the model answer and regarding this topic
Please review.
Hi Zubia
Please mention your payment from September AWE onwards to get copies reviewed on a timely basis.
No need to give that background regarding the US Domination or the growing China after intro. That is not called for in the answer.
The discussion in the challenges has nothing to do with the challenges regarding India-EU trade talks. There are specific points regarding why trade talks are stuck. It has nothing to do with growing protectionism or India’s interests, etc. Read the model answer for this part.
Way forward is not to the mark because challenges are not discussed in the right manner.
Read the model answer and regarding this topic
The discussion regarding benefits for EU and India is only decent content which caters to the demand of the question.
Please review
Hi @Aswath
Please mention your payment from September AWE onwards to get copies reviewed on a timely basis.
Underline important points in your answer more prominently.
The content is ok.
What is the way forward?
Mention them in a proper sub-heading.
Even if the question is not asking about way forward directly, then also you should provide them in the answer.
The main body is ok
please review sir.
please review sir.
Hi @murari
Please mention your payment from September AWE onwards to get copies reviewed on a timely basis.
Very detailed answer.
The presentation is decent.
The structure is well placed.
The content is fine.
Well placed way forwards.