A student-led platform at a leading Indian law school has opened a call for blog submissions examining the intellectual property, technology, and competition law dimensions of the proposed European Union–India Free Trade Agreement. The initiative, which seeks to foster informed discourse at the intersection of law and innovation, has set a submission deadline of 20 October 2026 and welcomes contributions from students, researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders.

The call comes at a critical juncture as negotiations between the EU and India continue to address sensitive issues in the IPR chapter. The agreement has the potential to reshape the balance between innovation incentives and access to essential goods, particularly in pharmaceuticals, data exclusivity, compulsory licensing, and traditional knowledge. The blog platform explicitly invites pieces that analyse whether the final text fairly balances European protection standards with India’s development and public health priorities.

Focus on IP and Competition in EU-India Trade Talks

The EU-India FTA’s intellectual property provisions have drawn considerable attention because they touch on core areas of Indian law, including patentability standards, the scope of data exclusivity, and the flexibilities available under the TRIPS Agreement. The call for submissions encourages authors to explore how the FTA might affect pharmaceutical patents, generics manufacturing, and access to medicines, as well as the protection of geographical indications and traditional knowledge. In addition, the digital trade and anticompetitive conduct chapters are flagged as areas ripe for analysis, given the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce and data flows.

The blog is structured under four subject categories: Technology, Markets, Governance, and Courts. Submissions may address any topic falling within the broad ambit of the intersection between technology, innovation, and law, but the current call expresses a particular interest in the EU-India FTA. Authors are encouraged to approach settled issues from novel angles or to focus on emerging developments that have not yet been fully explored in the literature.

Submission Guidelines and Formatting Requirements

Submissions must be original works that have not been published elsewhere or concurrently submitted to any other platform. Co-authorship of up to two authors is permitted, and there is no eligibility bar regarding affiliation or seniority. The editorial board will conduct a similarity and artificial intelligence check using Turnitin. Manuscripts should be submitted in .doc or .docx format and must adhere to strict formatting guidelines: Times New Roman, 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing, and one-inch margins on all sides. British spellings are required, and references must be hyperlinked where possible. Footnotes, if used, must conform to the Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA). The use of the Oxford comma is mandatory for lists of three or more elements. Case names must be italicised and use v. rather than vs. , and quotations should be italicised to distinguish them from the author’s own text.

The editorial board reserves the right to suggest substantive changes and holds final discretion over acceptance. Authors will be informed of the status of their submission within fourteen days. The board also warns that submissions not conforming to the formatting guide may be rejected at its discretion. Copyright of published blog posts will vest with The Innovation Brief, while moral rights remain with the author.

Significance for Legal Practitioners and Researchers

For legal professionals working in intellectual property, competition, and trade law, this call presents an opportunity to contribute to ongoing debates that have direct policy implications. The FTA’s IPR chapter is one of the most contentious elements of the negotiations, with European stakeholders advocating for strong enforcement and data protection, while Indian stakeholders emphasise the need for flexibilities to protect public health and support local industry. The blog aims to provide a platform where these perspectives can be examined in a nuanced, non-partisan manner.

The initiative is institutionally supported by the Centre for Innovation, Intellectual Property and Competition (CIIPC) at National Law University Delhi, which works to advance research and dialogue on innovation, IP, and competition policy. The call for submissions reflects the centre’s broader mission to produce accessible, policy-relevant scholarship that can inform both academic circles and real-world decision-making.

Submission Procedure and Deadline

Authors must use the dedicated submission form to send their manuscripts; submissions made through any other channel will not be considered. The deadline for receipt of submissions is 20 October 2026. In the absence of a reply from the editorial board within the stipulated period, authors may send a follow-up email seeking an update to the provided contact address.

The call marks a timely opportunity for the legal community to engage with one of the most consequential trade negotiations currently under way. As the EU and India move closer to a final text, the analyses generated through this blog could help shape the terms of the debate and highlight the practical consequences for innovation, competition, and access in both jurisdictions.