India-EU FTA Talks 2025: Food Safety Rules Stall Progress on Trade Deal Over Agri Exports, SPS Measures
India-EU Trade Deal Talks: Can Food Safety Standards Derail a Historic Agreement? - Dr.Sanjaykumar Pawar Table of Contents Introduction Why the India-EU FTA Matters Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS): The Core Friction The Aflatoxin Dispute: What’s at Stake? Comparing Global Standards: EU vs Codex vs USA Trade in Goods: Rules of Origin and Market Access India’s Agricultural Export Profile: Opportunities and Bottlenecks The Path Forward: Negotiation or Concession? Conclusion FAQs 1. Introduction After more than a decade of back-and-forth, the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is finally gaining momentum. Touted as a potential game-changer for both economies, the deal aims to unlock a powerful bilateral trade relationship, opening access to one of the world's largest and most premium markets. But just as the talks enter their most crucial phase, a major roadblock has emerged— food safety standards , officially termed Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measur...