New Delhi, Dec 12 (KNN) Once Sweden takes over the rotating presidency of the Council of European Union from January 1,  it will focus on the early finalisation of India-EU free trade agreement (FTA).

The Scandinavian country will take over the presidency for a six-month period which will expire on June 30, 2023.

It will also work on the 18-month programme jointly drafted with its predecessors France and the Czech Republic.

The visiting Swedish foreign trade minister Johan Forssell told journalists in India that Sweden will act as an “honest broker” and will do its best to conclude FTA negotiations.

During his trip here, he met Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and discussed the FTA.

Launched in June 2007, the negotiations for India-EU FTA re-started in June 2022. 

In 2013 it were suspended after several rounds of talks as both sides failed to agree on crucial issues, including the movement of professionals and tariffs on certain goods.  (KNN Bureau)