Europe open for international trade: Scholz

Davos: Asserting that Europe remains open for international trade, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said he is doing his utmost to ensure that the free trade agreements with India and some other countries gets sealed.

The European Union, within which Germany is among India's biggest trade partners, relaunched negotiations last year with India for a Free Trade Agreement, and launched separate negotiations for an Investment Protection Agreement and an Agreement on Geographical Indications



(GIs).

In a special address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 here on Wednesday evening, the Chancellor said, "I am doing my utmost to ensure that the free trade agreements we have successfully negotiated with Canada, Korea, Japan, New Zealand, and Chile will soon be followed by new ones: with MERCOSUR, India, and Indonesia." "And we are also open to discuss a tariff agreement for the industrial sector with the United States," he added.