**Executive Summary**
The Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL) and FICCI held a conference on May 19, 2026, to deliberate on India’s evolving trade partnerships with Europe under next-generation Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). The discussions focused on the India-EU FTA, which is set to provide preferential tariff treatment to 99.5% of Indian exports while addressing non-tariff barriers and regulatory compliance. The event emphasized the urgent need for Indian industry to adapt to emerging standards, digital compliance, and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **India-EU FTA Provisions**
* The agreement will grant preferential tariff treatment to 99.5% of Indian exports.
* It aims to facilitate greater market access across both goods and services sectors and reduce non-tariff trade barriers.
* The pact focuses on integrating India into European value chains and establishing a framework for long-term economic cooperation.
* **Standards and Regulatory Compliance**
* There is a critical need to strengthen India's standards infrastructure, including testing and certification capabilities.
* The adoption of digital compliance tools and institutional mechanisms is essential to overcome non-tariff barriers in European markets.
* Trade architecture is shifting beyond simple tariff liberalization to include broader disciplines such as sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and technical barriers to trade (TBT).
* **Emerging Challenges and Digital Economy**
* Indian industry must navigate the implications of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and other EU carbon-related trade measures.
* The conference highlighted the growing importance of services trade and digital economy engagement in modern trade pacts.
* Experts highlighted the role of the Trade Remedies Advisory Cell of CTIL in supporting Indian businesses.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Exporters and Industry**
**Impact**
Exporters will benefit from significant tariff reductions and improved market access; however, they face rigorous new regulatory requirements and environmental standards (CBAM).
**Action Required**
Enterprises must engage in capacity-building and preparedness initiatives to utilize FTAs effectively and adopt digital tools for compliance.
**Policymakers and Government Agencies**
**Impact**
Responsible for negotiating complex "next-gen" agreements that cover environmental and digital disciplines alongside traditional trade.
**Action Required**
Focus on strengthening domestic institutional mechanisms and standards infrastructure to support the export ecosystem.
**Legal Practitioners and Trade Experts**
**Impact**
The shift toward broader trade disciplines requires deeper expertise in SPS, TBT, and trade remedy mechanisms.
**Action Required**
Provide expert guidance to the industry on leveraging FTAs with the UK, EU, and EFTA while navigating emerging carbon-related trade measures.
Key Entities Referenced
India–EU Free Trade Agreement: A major trade pact expected to provide preferential tariff treatment to 99.5 percent of Indian exports and facilitate greater market access.
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM): An EU environmental trade policy discussed for its regulatory challenges and impact on Indian industry competitiveness.
India–UK Free Trade Agreement: A specific next-generation trade pact identified as a key component of India’s evolving economic engagement with Europe.
European Free Trade Association (EFTA): An intergovernmental trade bloc identified as a primary partner for India's emerging free trade agreements.
Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL): A specialized agency providing legal and policy expertise on international trade agreements and operating the Trade Remedies Advisory Cell.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
CTIL and FICCI Organise Conference on India–
Europe Trade Partnerships under Next-
Generation FTAs
India’s Expanding Trade Partnership with Europe Requires
Stronger Standards and Compliance Ecosystem: FICCI
Leaders
Conference Deliberates on Market Access, Regulatory
Compliance and CBAM Challenges under India–Europe Trade
Agreements
Posted On: 22 MAY 2026 6:17PM by PIB Delhi
The Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, in collaboration with
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, organised a conference on “Next-Gen Trade
Pacts: Leveraging India’s Partnership with Europe under FTAs” on 19 May 2026 at FICCI Federation
House, New Delhi. The conference brought together policymakers, industry representatives, trade experts,
legal practitioners, and members of academia to deliberate on India’s evolving trade engagement with
Europe under emerging free trade agreements.
The conference commenced with an inaugural session featuring Secretary General, FICCI, Anant Swarup,
who welcomed the participants and highlighted the growing significance of India’s trade partnerships with
Europe. Chair, FICCI Foreign Trade and Trade Facilitation Committee and Managing Director, Shahi
Exports Pvt. Ltd., Harish Ahuja underlined the need to strengthen standards infrastructure, testing and
certification capabilities, digital compliance tools, and institutional mechanisms to effectively address
non-tariff barriers in European markets.
Professor and Head, Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL), and India Chair, WTO Chairs
Programme, Dr. James J. Nedumpara delivered the context-setting address. He highlighted the importance
of next-generation trade agreements and emphasised that the evolving trade architecture between India
and Europe extends beyond tariff liberalisation to broader disciplines shaping the future framework of
international trade and economic cooperation.
Delivering the keynote address, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce and Industry, Government
of India, Darpan Jain described the conclusion of the India–EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations as a
significant milestone in India’s economic diplomacy. He stated that the agreement would provide
preferential tariff treatment to 99.5 per cent of Indian exports. He further noted that the agreement would
strengthen India’s integration into European value chains, facilitate greater market access across goods
and services sectors, and reduce non-tariff trade barriers.Director General, FICCI, Jyoti Vij delivered the concluding remarks during the inaugural session and
emphasised the importance of effective industry utilisation of trade agreements through awareness,
capacity-building, and enterprise preparedness initiatives.
The conference featured four thematic sessions focusing on opportunities arising from India’s trade
agreements with Europe, standards and regulatory compliance in European markets, services trade and
digital economy engagement, and the implications of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
for Indian industry.
The discussions examined pathways for enhancing market access, strengthening export competitiveness,
addressing sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical barriers to trade, expanding India’s services
presence in European markets, and navigating emerging carbon-related trade measures.
The conference also included presentations by experts from CTIL on leveraging India’s FTAs with the
UK, EU, and EFTA; SPS and TBT barriers under new trade pacts; services trade and digital economy
engagement; CBAM and EU carbon measures; and the Trade Remedies Advisory Cell of CTIL.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Assistant Secretary General, FICCI, Pragati
Srivastava.
***
Abhishekh Dayal/ Garima Singh/ Ishita Biswas
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