On the sidelines of the 14th World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference in Yaounde, Cameroon, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal held a bilateral meeting with European Union (EU) Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic. The meeting examined the MC?14 agenda and assessed progress on work to finalise the recently concluded India?European Union free trade agreement (FTA). Both sides also considered avenues to further enhance bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

On WTO reforms, both leaders agreed on the necessity of substantive change and underlined that reform efforts should remain strictly member driven. Shri Goyal conveyed that development of the reforms agenda ought to be guided by the collective interests of WTO members. Discussions also covered the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmission and the possible incorporation of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement into ongoing workstreams.

Reviewing progress towards signing the India?EU FTA, Shri Goyal welcomed the pragmatic approach taken by both sides which had enabled timely conclusion of negotiations in a mutually beneficial manner. Both participants agreed to strive to complete the requisite processes to facilitate signing at the earliest opportunity so that expected benefits may be realised by businesses and citizens of India and the European Union. Prior to the ministerial bilateral, Commerce Secretary Shri Rajesh Agrawal held a separate meeting with EU Director General for Trade Sebine Weyand on the sidelines of MC?14.

The discussions affirmed a shared commitment to continue diplomatic and official engagement to resolve outstanding technical and procedural matters. Officials were tasked to pursue follow up work with the aim of enabling a swift path to signature and subsequent implementation of the agreement. Both sides indicated readiness to maintain regular consultations to support realisation of trade and economic outcomes.