Standard Operating Procedures for Free Trade Agreements, sealing the India-Oman Free Trade Agreement in the Department of Commerce’s 100-day program

Finalizing the Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) or Guidelines for the negotiation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), concluding the proposed India-Oman Free Trade Agreement, setting up e-commerce hubs to promote online exports and launching the ‘Trade Connect e-Platform’, to help exporters, including: key priorities of the Commerce Department’s 100-day program, officials said.

“The proposed standard operating procedure for free trade agreement negotiations and stakeholder consultation would build on the experience gained by negotiators of previous trade agreements. This would provide guidance on how to deal with various situations and issues in future negotiations,” the official said.

The SOP is also likely to focus on new and emerging issues arising in trade deals, such as gender, labor and the environment, the official added.

“Chint Shivir”

The government recently organized a ‘chintan shivir’ on free trade agreements, which brought together former trade deal negotiators as well as other experts to discuss standard procedures.

The meeting focused on economic assessment and modeling of FTAs, addressing emerging disciplines, addressing services and digital trade under FTAs, capacity building and resource management under FTAs, and using Indian FTAs ​​to addressing emerging areas such as CBAM, supply chain disruptions, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.

Negotiations on the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which is on the agenda, are nearing completion but several issues remain open, the official said.

“There are certain issues, such as customs duties on certain petrochemical products mainly used in the plastics industry, that need to be agreed,” the official added.

India-UK Free Trade Agreement

While negotiations on an India-UK Free Trade Agreement are progressing well, outstanding issues including work visas, car and alcohol market access, and rules of origin will only be able to continue once a new government is in place in the UK after elections scheduled for next month, the official said.

There are also plans to develop e-commerce centers to promote online exports and to launch initiatives such as the “Trade Connect e-platform” for exporters.

While e-commerce hubs will provide a boost to exports through the online platform, the Trade Connect online platform will provide facilities to new and aspiring exporters. The e-platform will provide information on various sectors, export trends, methods of accessing benefits under free trade agreements and regulations in force in various countries.