Indian spirits makers seek better market access in EU

​Amid demands from European spirits and wine manufacturers to lower tariffs in India under the proposed free trade agreement (FTA), the Confederation of India Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) has sought better market access for the Indian products into the European Union. The lobby group has pointed to “non-tariff barriers” such as its definition of whisky and brandy to argue for their dismantling. For a product to be classified as “whisky” in the EU, it has to have a maturity period of three years or more, and one year to be categorized as “brandy”.