Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi has confirmed that the EU-India Joint Working Group on Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Medical Devices has been suspended since 2020 because its agenda was subsumed into the parallel EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, and that the Commission is now assessing the most effective format to re-engage with India following the FTA's conclusion.
The answer, published on 13 July 2026, responds to a parliamentary question from Czech MEP Ondřej Dostál (NI), who had asked why the working group's meetings had not resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic and why Indian authorities' requests for a meeting had gone unanswered. Várhelyi acknowledged India's importance in global pharmaceutical supply chains and its role in ensuring access to affordable, safe, and effective medicines for EU citizens. He noted that the working group had held regular meetings until 2020, covering regulatory alignment, supply chain resilience, and innovation, but that no further meetings took place during the FTA negotiations, which included pharmaceutical and health-related provisions. With the FTA now concluded, the Commission is evaluating the best format for future engagement.
The answer provides no concrete timeline or commitment to resume the working group, nor does it specify whether India's requests for a meeting were formally received or acknowledged. The Commission's stance signals a cautious, process-driven approach: rather than reactivating the old working group, it may seek a new institutional framework that reflects the post-FTA relationship. This leaves Indian authorities and EU pharmaceutical stakeholders in a waiting position, with no immediate prospect of renewed bilateral dialogue on regulatory convergence, supply chain security, or pandemic preparedness.
Institutional follow-up is expected once the Commission completes its internal assessment, though no deadline has been set. The answer suggests that future engagement will be shaped by the FTA's implementation and the broader EU-India strategic partnership, rather than a standalone working group.