A delegation of the EFTA Parliamentary Committee, headed by Thomas Aeschi, member of the National Council (SVP/ZG), will discuss closer bilateral economic relations with members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha – the lower and upper houses of parliament – with officials from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and representatives of key economic sectors. The key topic of discussion will be the resumption of negotiations on a comprehensive trade and eco-nomic partnership agreement between the EFTA states – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland – and India.
Following the launch in 2008 of negotiations on a trade and economic partnership agreement between EFTA and India, bilateral economic relations between the two parties grew considera-bly. The proposed agreement will not only cover trade in goods (industrial and agricultural products) but also trade in services, market access for investments, the protection of intellectual property and public procurement.
Switzerland is India’s eleventh biggest investor. Swiss companies run over 220 production plants, distribution centres and research laboratories in India and directly employ more than 100,000 people. Switzerland is also gaining in importance as a market for Indian goods: in 2015 Indian exports to Switzerland were worth around 1.25 billion francs, while Swiss exports to India rose to around CHF 1.79 billion last year.
Bern, 9 February 2016 Parliamentary Services