Sangeeta Khorana

‘Extreme uncertainty’ is a Brexit catchphrase that applies fully to the UK’s future trade relationship with developing countries - which includes many Commonwealth member countries - as well as with the remaining EU members. This compilation of essays offers timely and expert commentary on how a new UK trade policy towards the EU and developing countries could be designed and implemented. The essays unbundle complex issues and offer a context for the current debate, as well as providing a framework within which to assess and discuss the ongoing negotiations. The collection is based on a workshop that was held at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London in early 2017, as part of the Economic and Social Research Council-funded project entitled 'Governance and Economic Integration through Free Trade Agreements'.

This unique book provides an assessment of an Indian-EU agreement, drawing on the theory of preferential agreements, the history of India-European relations and the recent refocusing of the Indian economy. The authors explore both a broad overview of the agreement as well as a detailed examination of sensitive sectors. A preferential trade agreement between India and the EU fires the imagination. It encompasses one fifth of humanity, connecting a large developed single market together with a major developing economy, together representing sufficient scope and diversity to capture almost all the gains expected from globalization. After a broad discussion of the agreement, the book focuses on two sensitive sectors - clothing and footwear, including the results of a stakeholder survey regarding non-tariff barriers in these industries. The book concludes that realizing the potential benefits of an India-EU agreement will depend on a clear understanding of the existing barriers to trade, careful negotiations and the willingness to implement what has been agreed. Business executives in both Europe and India as well as officials in the Indian government and EU Commission will find this innovative book a fascinating read.