On the 29th of April, MOR participatde in a webnar which examined how the India–EU Free Trade Agreement intersects with sustainability goals, focusing on operationalizing the FTA across blue-economy, manufacturing, and supply-chain contexts. After framing the FTA as a long-negotiated agreement with potential to reshape standards and market access, Susanne Wedin-Schildt presented the blue economy as both stewardship and commercial opportunity, highlighting Ocean Community accelerator work and India’s participation. Linnéa Engström showcased circular-economy luxury uses for fishery byproducts and linked those practices to EU policy drivers such as the Circular Economy Act.
Discussion moved to practical implementation: panelists emphasized traceability, carbon visibility, and responsible sourcing as emergent EU conditions for access, proposing digital product passports and phased, supply-chain-focused approaches to help SMEs comply. Participants foresaw asymmetric FTA implementation—faster in green tech and digital services, slower in sensitive manufacturing and agriculture. Maritime opportunities identified included offshore wind, tidal energy, desalination, green shipping corridors, and route-optimization that could cut shipping costs 15–30% on some routes. Blue carbon and mangrove restoration were promoted as high-impact, livelihood-supporting interventions with measurable carbon benefits. The group highlighted predictable regulation, credible standards, skills investment, and the potential of dual-use innovations for future collaboration.
