On February 27, the European Commission published the text of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the European Union (EU) and India. The FTA, negotiations for which were concluded at the end of January in Delhi during the EU-India Summit, addresses both economic issues and geopolitical objectives. In the context of wars, international tensions, and fragmentation of world trade, both EU and India are seeking to diversify their partnerships and assert their place in the global disorder.Willfully blind to the widely documented authoritarianism of the Modi government in India, Brussels seems to have completely changed its language, preferring to consider that its partners interpret international law differently rather than they do not respect it. With the EU-India FTA, the European Commission has chosen to set aside all vigilance on environmental protection and human rights in favour of commercial logic alone, putting therefore the ‘Brussels effect’ to the test.In the 2000s, researchers in law and political economy, Anu Bradford of Columbia University, theorised the ‘Brussels effect’. Referring to EU’s ability to export its norms and standards beyond its borders, simply because of the size and attractiveness of its market, Bradford explained how companies and countries must comply with EU rules if they wish to access the European market, particularly in terms of health safety, digital standards, and environmental protection.Promises on labour rights and the environmentIn the context of EU-India FTA Chapter 16, of the agreement dedicated to trade and sustainable development (TSD) constitutes the legal basis of a rather ambitious ‘Brussels effect’. It recognises international labour standards, explicitly mentioning the parties’ commitments to International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions on forced labor (Convention 29), freedom of association (Convention 87), collective bargaining (Convention 98), as well as child labour and non-discrimination in employment. The chapter also includes environmental commitments, including the implementation of the Paris Agreement, the protection of biodiversity and forests, and the sustainable management of marine resources. Gender equality and women’s economic empowerment are also mentioned.However, these commitments have major limits. In this FTA, the rules facilitating trade are legally binding, while those on human rights and the environment remain voluntary and lack real accountability mechanisms. Implementation relies primarily on dialogue, without any independent monitoring mechanism or effective penalties in case of non-compliance.The Brussels effect: A political mirageFor several years now, the EU has been asserting its desire to use trade as a lever to promote international social and environmental standards.But India is not a small market. It is one of the world’s leading economies and a key player in many supply chains. Furthermore, the EU is just one partner among many for India, and far from being a privileged one. Russia, China, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States are more important.In this context, the ‘Brussels effect’ is nothing more than a mirage. While previous trade deals, such as EU-Mercosur, have already caused much controversy in Europe due to their lack of social and environmental considerations, the EU-India FTA could definitively bury the ‘Brussels effect’.Dr. Ritumbra Manuvie is a tenured assistant professor at the University of Groningen, and founder director of Foundation Diaspora in Action for Human Rights and Democracy.