Brussels, 17/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - The EU and India remain determined to conclude a free trade agreement by December, and have scheduled a series of meetings for discussions. EU and Indian negotiators will meet in Brussels next week before coming together again in New Delhi at the start of October, the head of the EU delegation to India Danile Smadja is quoted by the Asia Pulse agency as saying. Thereafter, European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht and Indian Trade Minister Anand Sharma might meet to put the finishing touches to a draft agreement. “We have commitments and a deadline … What remains to be done now is to put concessions on the table,” Smadja said. Negotiators will then have to ensure that all stakeholders from civil society and the industrial and business communities support the agreement, she added. What is not open to doubt is that the thorny issue on inclusion of social and environmental standards will be the main stumbling block to conclusion of the agreement. (E.H./transl.rt)