Brussels, 02/08/2010 (Agence Europe) - European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht and India's Trade Minister Anand Sharma are to meet end August with a view to finalising work for an EU/India free trade agreement (FTA) ahead of the annual bilateral summit between the two partners this autumn. “We hope we shall keep the date of December”, the head of the Indian delegation with the EU, Daniele Smadja, explained on 23 July, confirming that De Gucht and Sharma will be meeting on the sidelines of an international meeting in Vietnam end August. Although the 9th negotiation session end April between Europeans and Indians allowed progress to be made on rules of origin, trade facilitation, trade liberalisation, public procurement and trade defence, there are snags in the chapters on customs duties, the trade in services, the opening of public markets and sustainable development. The last chapter, which requires, at the EU's request, the inclusion of normal standards in the FTA especially on child labour and environmental norms, is the trickiest and must be amply discussed. (E.H./transl.jl)