India and European Union have set a one year deadline for free trade, it was announced here after summit level talks.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led the Indian delegation while the European Union delegation was led by Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, who is heading the current presidency and Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.
Besides trade, climate change, Afghan situation and terrorism figured prominently in the discussions.
Later addressing a press conference with the EU leaders, Prime Minister Singh expressed confidence that the one year deadline would be met for ushering in free trade regime.
Both sides signed an agreement in the field of fusion energy research, which Singh described as a ‘reflection of the growing importance of energy security and clean energy in our co-operation’. The agreement was signed here by Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar from the Indian side and European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner from the EU side.
EU is India's largest trading partner. It accounts for 23 percent of the Indian export of manufactured goods.
‘Despite the economic slowdown, I am happy to note that trade in goods and services between India and EU has doubled over the past five years to reach almost 80 billion euros’, Prime Minister Singh said.
On climate change issues, Delhi stuck to the stand that it is not ready to quantify carbon emission targets.
‘We have not reached that stage. We will explore that possibility’, Prime Minister Singh told a questioner, adding in the same breath ‘All of us have an obligation to work together’.
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt called for increased India's cooperation in forging a consensus at the crucial UN climate summit in Copenhagen. ‘We have identified the costs of mitigation (of greenhouse gas emissions). We need 100 billion euros by the time we come to 2020. We have acknowledged there are ambitious plans in India, but we need action from everyone’.
While on the Afghan situation, India and EU emphasised the need for concerted international action to combat terrorism from Afpak region. ‘What happens in Afghanistan, what happens in Pakistan affects us much more intimately than other countries in the world. So, we have a vital stake in peace, stability and progress not only in Afghanistan but also in Pakistan,’ Manmohan Singh said.
‘India and EU’, the Swedish Prime Minister said, ‘stand united in combating terrorism which is serious threat to international peace and human rights’.
Indian Prime Minister’s Statement at the press meet:
’It is an honour for me to welcome His Excellency Prime Minister Reinfeldt of Sweden and His Excellency President Barroso of the European Commission for the 10th India-EU Summit.
We have just concluded very productive and wide-ranging discussions. Our talks were held in a spirit of friendship and warmth, which is the hallmark of India-EU relations. An important outcome was the signing of the India-EU Agreement in the field of Fusion Energy Research. This agreement underscores the growing importance of energy security and clean energy in our cooperation.
We also reviewed the progress on the Joint Action Plan that was adopted in 2005 and agreed on measures to speed up its implementation.
India and the European Union have a Strategic Partnership based on shared values of democracy, pluralism, cultural diversity and respect for human rights. In this context, we reviewed the entire spectrum of our bilateral cooperation. We have identified trade and investment, energy, counter-terrorism, science and technology, climate change, and movement of peoples and as priority areas of our cooperation.
Despite the economic slowdown, I am happy to note that trade in goods and services between India and the European Union has doubled over the past five years to reach almost Euro 80 billion. We agreed to expedite the conclusion of a balanced and mutually beneficial Broad Based Agreement on Trade and Investment that will lead to increased economic opportunities and creation of jobs as well as wealth. I invited European businesses to increase their investments in India.
We have decided to forge stronger cooperation in the fields of science and technology, education and culture. I urged the European Union to facilitate movement of people, professional, business-persons, students, civil society and tourists through a friendly visa regime.
We also exchanged views on global and regional issues. We have agreed to continue to work closely on issues such as the reform of international institutions, the global economic and financial crisis, climate change and nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We agreed on the importance of a multilateral approach to addressing these challenges.
We reviewed the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan and emphasised the need for concerted international action to combat terrorism. We have agreed to work towards early finalization of the agreement between EUROPOL and India. We also reviewed the situation in West Asia, Iran, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and discussed other regional issues.
I am satisfied with the outcome of our discussions. India looks forward to taking this very important relationship forward in all areas’.
-Asian Tribune-
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