New Delhi: The European Union (EU) today (Nov 26) said there would not be any dialogue with India on World Trade Organisation (WTO) issues when their political heads meet at the India-EU summit this weekend, even though trade issues will figure in the summit.

"Talks on WTO issues are unlikely to take place during the summit," Italian Ambassador Benedetto Amari told reporters at a briefing on the fourth India-EU Business Summit.

He said that while EU was fully committed to multilateral trading system, the summit beginning in New Delhi on Friday (Nov 28) would focus on business interaction.

Amari said India was among the few countries with which the EU was very keen to strengthen its relationship.

"India is an emerging economic power...we want to strengthen our relationship especially in the prevailing climate," he said.

However, the EU Trade Councillor Stephano Gatto said there was no possibility of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India in the near future.

"An FTA with India is still very far," he said, adding EU believed in strengthening multilateral trading system and bilateral trade agreements would only be complementary.

A high-level business delegation consisting of 100 leading EU industry representatives and chief executive officers (CEOs) will accompany Italian Prime Minister and European Council President Silvio Berlusconi at the summit.

Federation of India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Secretary General Amit Mitra said the summit would emphasise on harmonising quality standards in the food-processing sector on both sides.

PTI



India for restarting dialogue at WTO: Jaitley