Overview

• Officials from both sides begin a five‑day negotiating round on October 6 in Brussels to push the trade pact toward conclusion by year‑end.
• EU Ambassador Hervé Delphin says the talks remain challenging with important issues still to solve after the previous round delivered no breakthrough.
• Core gaps persist on market access for goods, notably automobiles and agricultural products, along with rules of origin and other non‑tariff barriers.
• Roughly 11 of 23 chapters are provisionally closed, and talks on a separate Investment Protection Agreement continue in parallel.
• India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is expected to review progress with EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič later this month in South Africa.