No FTA with EU, if it insists on opening dairy biz: Goyal

New Delhi: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday emphasised on understanding and respecting mutual sensitivities to fast-track India-EU free trade agreement talks, and said there would be no pact if the European Union insists on opening the dairy sector.

Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business, the minister also said that ‘extraneous’ issues like labour and climate change should be discussed at international forums. He added that the two sides have to understand, listen and appreciate the sensitivities of each other.

“You (EU) are 27 countries, who have different priorities; India has 27 states. I may be growing apples in one state which does not permit me to open apples,” he said, adding that the per capita income of EU member countries is much higher than that of the Indian states. He also said that there is a need to focus the energies on trade and on promoting investments and deeper strategic partnerships to push the talks. It will have to be a political decision and the negotiations cannot be left to the bureaucracy alone, the minister said.