Overview

• Negotiators in New Delhi are closing the 13th round that began on Sept. 8 with roughly 60–65% of chapters finalized, according to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.
• EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and Agriculture and Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen are slated to meet Goyal in Delhi to assess progress and drive a near-term wrap-up.
• The talks cover 23 chapters spanning goods, services, investment, SPS, technical barriers, rules of origin, customs, intellectual property, geographical indications, dispute settlement and sustainability.
• India is seeking better access for labor-intensive exports, visa relaxations for temporary workers and CBAM relief for steel and aluminum, while the EU wants deeper openings for autos, wines and select agricultural products.
• Germany has publicly backed swift finalization and pledged to press the European Commission to advance the deal.