India-EU FTA likely by April: Smadja

According to EU ambassador Daniele  Smadja the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) would likely be concluded by April.

The agreement would not however be signed before the next India-EU Summit to be held as certain technical details have to be worked out.

"The main agreement is expected to be firmed up by April... But we do not expect the agreement to be signed then. We will have to wait till the next Summit," Ms Smadja told journalists in New Delhi yesterday.

Agreeing that the agreement would necessarily involve some ''give and take'', she said in an agreement both parties would have to tell something to their constituencies back home. Smadja however did not elaborate.

There are some differences between the two sides on the issue of life-saving drugs and genetically-modified crops.

She, however, said with the FTA both sides would get a comfort level as it would cover temporary mobility of professionals and cross-border supply of services.