View all News EU–India Free Trade Agreement: safeguard clauses needed against unfair competition 27 January 2026 Commercio e mercati Materie: Commercio internazionale Antidumping - Difesa Commerciale Salva nei preferiti The ceramic tile sector, which exports more than 80% of its turnover and is among the most internationalised in Europe, welcomes the conclusion of negotiations for the free trade agreement between the European Union and India. As a long-standing supporter of trade liberalisation, the Italian ceramic industry hopes that this treaty, like all EU agreements, will ensure full reciprocity and adequate protection for the most exposed sectors. For the Agreement to be fair and sustainable, it must be accompanied by high regulatory standards, particularly in environmental and social matters, and by effective safeguard clauses against all forms of unfair competition. In the specific case of ceramic tiles, dumping practices in Indian exports to the EU persist, as confirmed by the European Commission. Indeed, specific anti-dumping duties have been in force on these products since 2023, in addition to the current 5% erga omnes duty. In this context, eliminating this basic duty also for ceramic tariff lines would be not only illogical, but would weaken the effectiveness of trade defence measures, instead rewarding improper and abusive behaviour. This would damage the competitiveness of the Italian and European sector, which already has to compete with an extremely aggressive Indian industry, characterised by significant overcapacity that is channelled into European markets under dumping conditions. Italian manufacturing therefore calls for our institutions, in the final phase of negotiations, to strike a realistic balance between the strategic opening of markets — certainly necessary at this stage — and the protection of business interests and quality employment ensured by our industrial districts.
