NEWS FLASH
Proposed alternative energy
sector reform a 'step forward'
11 February 2008
EU, aviation industry to fund
research into green aircraft
11 February 2008
Eurozone business activity
weakest in over three years
11 February 2008
German firms drawn to eastern
Europe and China
11 February 2008
Brazil offers EU new farm
list to get beef ban lifted
11 February 2008
EU offers prize of gold for
choosing two-euro coin design
11 February 2008
Speech by Benita
Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European
Neighbourhood Policy
Indian Council for World Affairs
Delhi, 4 January 2008
EU proposes fines for car
makers,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
EU agrees watered-down wine
sector reform,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
Court rules against union in
Swedish wage-dumping case,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
EU orders MasterCard to scrap
fees or face fines,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
EU online gambling firms
challenge US ban,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
In blow to purists, EU backs
broad definition of vodka,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
EU leaders sign landmark
reform treaty,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
Court defends firms' right to
move abroad to save costs,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
Schengen creates panic among
visa-less Americans,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
EU agrees free trade access
for 15 poor nations,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
EU acts over excessive
advertising on Italian TV,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
Road accidents in Bulgaria
way above EU average,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
Strong euro, tight credit
hits eurozone growth,EU Business Week,07 Dec 2007
EU agrees shake-up of e-trade
sales tax,EU Business Week,07 Dec 2007
EU-US 'green' WTO proposals
protectionist: Brazil,EU Business Week,07 Dec 2007
Bosnia takes symbolic step
towards EU,EU Business Week, 07 Dec 2007
EU seeks to boost defence
industry competition,EU Business Week,07 Dec 2007
Europeans, Americans fret
over China's rise,EU Business Week,07 Dec 2007
India-European Union Summit:
Joint Statement and Joint Action Plan - Implementation Report,EU Business Week,
30 Nov 2007
EU nations endorse standard
system for mobile TV,EU Business Week, 30 Nov 2007
Brussels proposes fishing
cuts amid dwindling stocks,EU Business Week, 30 Nov 2007
EU reaches agreement on
satnav project,EU Business Week, 30 Nov 2007
EU initials trade deal with
East African nations,EU Business Week, 30 Nov 2007
Youngsters missing out on EU
employment boom,EU Business Week, 30 Nov 2007
Cyprus euro campaign ditches
Santa,EU Business Week, 30 Nov 2007
Mandelson: EU seeks ambitious
trade pact with "indispensable" India,New Delhi, 29 November 2007
EU-India Summit: setting the
path for a growing strategic partnership,Brussels, 29 November 2007
European Union Cultural Weeks
launched in Delhi with eight exhibitions under one roof, New Delhi, 23 November
2007
EU in telecoms industry
shake-up despite opposition,EU Business Week, 16 Nov 2007
European growth rebounds
despite growing headwinds,EU Business Week, 16 Nov 2007
EU clamps down on Internet
air ticket sellers,EU Business Week, 16 Nov 2007
EU antitrust probe into
Google's DoubleClick deal,EU Business Week, 16 Nov 2007
SKorea improves tariff offers
for FTA with EU,EU Business Week, 16 Nov 2007
Britain the 'dustbin of
Europe': official,EU Business Week, 16 Nov 2007
EU report urges Turkey to
speed up reforms,EU Business Week, 9 Nov 2007
African trade unions call to
resist EU pressure,EU Business Week, 9 Nov 2007
EU acknowledges problems with
Siberian overflight pact,EU Business Week, 9 Nov 2007
Cyprus to give foot and mouth
aid to farmers,EU Business Week, 9 Nov 2007
Greece calls on EU to
guarantee its feta sovereignty,EU Business Week, 9 Nov 2007
Europe's forests flourishing,
but fires remain a threat ,EU Business Week, 9 Nov 2007
ECB rate bind deepens as
economy slows,EU Business Week, 2 Nov 2007
Ministers confirm EU
border-free expansion prospects,EU Business Week, 2 Nov 2007
European steelmakers seek
duties on Chinese imports,EU Business Week, 2 Nov 2007
EU postpones health measures
fearing fallout for brain scans,EU Business Week, 2 Nov 2007
Britain to keep limits on
Romanian, Bulgarian workers,EU Business Week, 2 Nov 2007
Massive rise in GM farming not
enough: biotech industry ,EU Business Week, 2 Nov 2007
Industrialised countries
announce anti-piracy plan,EU Business Week, 26 oct 2007
EU court overturns German VW
'Golden Share' law,EU Business Week, 26 oct 2007
EU seeks to take on the 'Big
Four' auditors,EU Business Week, 26 oct 2007
EU 'blue card' scheme to
attract skilled migrants,EU Business Week, 26 oct 2007
EU authorises genetically
modified maize & sugar beet,EU Business Week, 26 oct 2007
Britain 'lobbied against
mobile roaming price caps',EU Business Week, 26 oct 2007
After roaming caps, EU eyes
prices for text messages,EU Business Week, 5 oct 2007
EU deadlocked over funding for
Galileo satnav project,EU Business Week, 5 oct 2007
Plan for 17 nations to lose
seats in Euro-Parliament,EU Business Week, 5 oct 2007
EU confident of case against
Poland over cod quotas,EU Business Week, 5 oct 2007
EU sees growing risks to
eurozone growth,EU Business Week, 5 oct 2007
Eastern states to join
no-borders zone ahead of Xmas,EU Business Week, 5 oct 2007
Top
Proposed
alternative energy sector reform a 'step forward',11 feb. 2008
The Commission said on Thursday that an alternative by a group of EU members to
plans to split up big energy groups was a "step forward," but the panel also
signalled reservations.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1202313722.44
Industry shelving investments over EU emissions plans
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1202313722.44
Top
EU, aviation
industry to fund research into green aircraft,11 feb. 2008
The EU and the aerospace industry have launched a project to pump EUR 1.6
billion into less polluting aviation technology over the coming seven years.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1202232727.91
Top
Eurozone
business activity weakest in over three years,11 feb. 2008
A service sector slump in January plunged business activity in the nations
sharing the euro to the lowest level in over three years, a widely watched
survey shows.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1202216569.24
Top
German firms
drawn to eastern Europe and China,11 feb. 2008
German firms that move activities abroad head above all to eastern Europe and
China, and then to other EU member states, according to a study released
Thursday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1202376722.97
Top
German firms
drawn to eastern Europe and China,11 feb. 2008
German firms that move activities abroad head above all to eastern Europe and
China, and then to other EU member states, according to a study released
Thursday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1202376722.97
Top
Brazil offers
EU new farm list to get beef ban lifted,11 feb. 2008
Brazil will next week give the EU a revised list of cattle farms it believes
meet EU beef import requirements in a bid to get a European ban on its meat
lifted.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1202401923.83
Top
EU offers prize
of gold for choosing two-euro coin design,11 feb. 2008
EU citizens are being invited to vote for the design of a special two-euro coin
to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the launch of the common European
currency, with a golden prize to lure entries.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1201887122.48
Top
Speech by Benita
Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European
Neighbourhood Policy,
"Revisiting EU-India relations - prospects for a deepened strategic partnership
to face global challenges"
Indian Council for World Affairs
Delhi, 4 January 2008
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you Director General Ashok Kumar for your kind remarks and for inviting
me to address you today. It is a real pleasure to be with you and to start the
New Year 2008 in India.
Indeed it is very fitting to see in the New Year in one of the oldest
civilisation and also one of the world's most dynamic economies and emerging
powers. It fills me with great excitement and enthusiasm for the year ahead. It
is also, I must confess, a real pleasure to enjoy the Indian hospitality as I
did in Rajasthan during the last days. Incredible India!
This is a necessary rekindling of energy, because I am convinced that the
coming year will present us with no fewer challenges than the year gone by. It
is important that we are ready to meet them and that two world powers like the
EU and India work effectively together to ensure that our partnership is fully
mobilised.
The subject of my talk today is the prospects for a deepened strategic
partnership between the EU and India, which is oriented towards meeting the
global challenges we both face.
The prospects are certainly bright. The EU and India share the same concerns
and the same basic approach to addressing them.
On that note perhaps it is worth addressing head on the misconception that,
because the EU is India's most important donor, investor and trade partner, we
are no more than an economic unit. Nothing could be further from the truth -
although the EU's principal strength lies in its economic power we are
increasingly wielding the political weight necessary to protect our interests
on the world stage. We are a unique and multi-faceted entity with growing
capacity to project our power on a range of global challenges from climate
change to non-proliferation to inter-cultural dialogue.
The most recent institutional changes introduced by the Lisbon Treaty signed
just last month by the EU's 27 leaders show just how global our ambitions are.
Once the new Treaty is ratified - hopefully over the next year - it will bring
greater coherence to the EU's external policies and our capacity to act
internationally.
And it will thus increase our ability to respond to the global challenges we
all face.
As global powers, the EU and India both have a responsibility to take the lead
in the international effort to tackle pressing global challenges such as
addressing climate change and global poverty; guaranteeing energy security;
fighting terrorism and organised crime; dealing with mass migration; and
succeeding in a more competitive economic environment.
There are a number of challenges which I believe should be the focus of
EU-India partnership in the year ahead.
1) Effective Multilateralism
Globalisation presents us with no alternative to multilateral co-operation on a
basis which reflects the realities of today's world. The EU believes we can
protect Europe more effectively by being active in the world and making the
international system more open and inclusive to others. This perspective
informs our approach to external policy not only bilaterally, but also at the
UN and the international financial institutions.
The EU is committed to more effective and more inclusive multilateral
governance. India is a natural partner for us in this effort and it is time for
increased EU-India cooperation in this area.
We already have a strong shared approach on global trade issues. At the recent
EU-India Summit, India and the EU again reaffirmed their commitment to the
rules-based multilateral trading system and stressed that the Doha multilateral
trade negotiations are our shared trade policy priority.
On a bilateral level you may remember that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
recently stated that he hoped the EU-India Free Trade Agreement would be agreed
in 2008. Concluding this FTA will undoubtedly be a very important step in the
development of the EU-India Strategic Partnership. We too hope the negotiations
will proceed as quickly as possible towards a broad-based trade and investment
agreement.
2) Energy Security and Climate Change
One of the themes of the last EU-India Summit was how to address the dual
challenges of climate change and energy security.
The EU recognised its global responsibility early last year when it adopted a
comprehensive Climate Change and Energy Package in March. Its aim was a
comprehensive overhaul of our energy policy with a view to tackling climate
change.
Together the EU and India have developed significant bilateral cooperation in
these areas and we would like to go further, through the EU-India Initiative on
Clean Development and Climate Change and the EU-India Energy Panel. We have
also invited India to become a key partner in the Initiative launched by the EU
to establish an international platform for energy efficiency.
The key to energy security and tackling green house gas emissions is making
consumption and production patterns sustainable. The private sector will play a
key role in providing the needed technologies and developing the global carbon
market via the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). That will mean many exciting
opportunities for co-operation between European and Indian companies.
It will also be important that the EU and India cooperate closely in the follow
up to last month's climate change conference in Bali. We were very happy that
it managed to break-through some of the long-standing opposition to taking
effective action and we believe there is a good chance that the international
community will agree on the necessary measures to address this awesome
challenge. However, that will require everyone's commitment to make next year's
intensive negotiations a success, and I hope very much we will be able to work
closely with India to achieve that goal.
We have to go beyond the per capita emissions and the development vs. emissions
cap debates. The situation is too serious to avoid our responsibilities. And
any strong economic growth must use energy efficiently to be sustainable.
3) Security
The proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction is another pressing global
challenge we face together as partners. India and the EU agree that all States
must comply with their non-proliferation and disarmament obligations including
through national implementation of effective export control measures as
detailed in UNSC Resolution 1540.
We are both very conscious of the risk these weapons falling into the hands of
terrorists and other non-State actors. We plan to intensify our
counter-terrorism cooperation through both bilateral cooperation and in the
framework of the United Nations, where we hope to advance implementation of the
UN Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The EU and India continue to work actively
towards a swift finalisation of the UN Comprehensive Convention on
International Terrorism.
We must also deepen our cooperation on policing, intelligence sharing and
border management and do more to deny the terrorists their networks of support.
Effective multilateral diplomacy is needed to address the issues that drive
such support, such as the problems in the Middle East. We also recognize the
need to fully address the conditions and aspirations of the migrants we have
welcomed to Europe.
Part of our approach to security issues is doing more to manage and prevent
potential crises, as we are doing with Iran and North Korea, and Darfur. We
strongly believe in working closely with others to tackle such situations, and
indeed we believe we have been most successful when we have worked jointly with
others, as in the Balkans, Aceh and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
We would like to extend that approach to other areas and want to explore with
India how best we could work together; especially in countries like Burma and
Sri Lanka, where you are uniquely positioned to play a key role in advancing
peace and democracy.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you see, there is no shortage of global challenges to keep the EU and India
occupied in the year ahead.
2007 was an excellent year for EU-India relations with our cooperation growing
ever stronger. We announced the establishment of a European Business and
Technology Centre in Delhi and we renewed our Science and Technology
Co-operation Agreement with India. We also signed a Memorandum of Understanding
for Euro 260 million of assistance on education, health and the implementation
of the EU-India Joint Action Plan.
2008 gives us the opportunity to build on this progress and deepen our
cooperation still further: in trade, building effective multilateral
institutions, tackling climate change and fighting the many security challenges
we face.
You may not be aware that for the last year I have been chairing the Kimberley
Process, which aims to tackle the trade in blood diamonds by certifying the
origin of diamonds. I have just handed chairmanship of this process over to
India, and I am sure you will do an excellent job in keeping the mechanism on
track in 2008.
That the EU and India are so closely linked in this process is no coincidence:
we are both united by the understanding that with global influence come not
only rights, but also responsibilities.
I am confident that this common understanding gives us a sound basis for
deepening our strategic cooperation in the year ahead. And that the prospects
are bright for us working together to create a better world.
Thank you.
Top
EU proposes
fines for car makers,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
The European Commission sparked controversy on Wednesday with plans to fine car
makers that miss proposed cuts in carbon emissions from new cars, receiving
criticism from both industry and environmentalists.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1198072925.72
Top
EU agrees
watered-down wine sector reform,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
EU members have agreed to shake up Europe's struggling wine industry to compete
better with cheaper New World rivals, but only after watering down the
controversial plans.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1198075620.5
Top
Court rules
against union in Swedish wage-dumping case,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
Europe's top court has ruled against a Swedish trade union that tried to force
a Latvian company to pay its staff higher rates, in a widely-watched
wage-dumping test case.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197975734.38
Top
EU orders
MasterCard to scrap fees or face fines,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
EU antitrust regulators have ordered payments card giant MasterCard to scrap
fees they consider unjustified on cross-border transactions or face hefty daily
fines.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1198062121.71
Top
EU online
gambling firms challenge US ban,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
A European online gaming trade association has lodged a complaint with the
Commission over a United States ban on online gambling, despite the US saying
on Monday it would widen access to some of its services as compensation for a
WTO dispute over the ban.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1198169227.88
Top
In blow to
purists, EU backs broad definition of vodka,EU Business Week,21 Dec 2007
EU nations backed plans on Monday to produce vodka from raw materials other
than traditional sources such as cereals or potatoes, dealing a blow to purists
from Finland to Poland.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197910022.45
Top
EU leaders sign
landmark reform treaty,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
Leaders of the European Union signed a landmark treaty Thursday to revitalise
EU decision-making, but the show of unity was marred by British Prime Minister
Gordon Brown's absence from the ceremony.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197550928.43
EU Lisbon Reform Treaty - main points
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197554526.83
Top
Court defends
firms' right to move abroad to save costs,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
The European Court of Justice on Tuesday upheld the right of EU companies to
shift activities to another member state, dealing a blow to trade unions
seeking to prevent so-called social dumping.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197379025.62
Top
Schengen
creates panic among visa-less Americans,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
More European borders come down this month and there is panic among Prague's
large US community with a last minute rush to get visas in order or quit the
country.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197336726.73
Top
EU agrees free
trade access for 15 poor nations,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
EU foreign ministers on Monday adopted rules allowing practically free access
to the European market for products from 15 African, Caribbean and Pacific
nations who have agreed an interim trade deal with the bloc.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197307026.23
Top
EU acts over
excessive advertising on Italian TV,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
The Commission has begun infringement procedures against Italy for allowing too
many advertisements on television in violation of EU rules.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197390721.63
Top
Road accidents
in Bulgaria way above EU average,EU Business Week,14 Dec 2007
The number of road accidents in Bulgaria exceeds the EU average by around 20
per cent, costing the economy more than EUR 500 million a year, a World Bank
road safety study shows.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197294425.36
Top
Strong euro,
tight credit hits eurozone growth,EU Business Week,07 Dec 2007
A strong euro and tougher credit conditions will weigh on the eurozone economy
next year, the OECD predicted on Thursday, cutting its 2008 growth forecast to
1.9 per cent from 2.3 per cent previously.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196937121.69
EU, IMF also see darker economic outlook
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196720222.22
Top
EU agrees
shake-up of e-trade sales tax,EU Business Week,07 Dec 2007
EU finance ministers agreed a shake-up of tax on electronic commerce after
overcoming deep opposition from Luxembourg, which feared losing its role as an
e-trade hub.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196173921.76
Top
EU-US 'green'
WTO proposals protectionist: Brazil,EU Business Week,07 Dec 2007
Brazil has sharply criticised joint proposals by the USA and EU for fewer
tariffs and other trade barriers on "green" goods and services as protectionist
and only serving their own interests.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196789524.06
Top
Bosnia takes
symbolic step towards EU,EU Business Week,07 Dec 2007
Bosnia took its first tentative step on the road towards eventual EU membership
on Tuesday after rival ethnic leaders reached a breakthrough agreement on
long-delayed reforms.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196784121.17
Top
EU seeks to
boost defence industry competition,EU Business Week,07 Dec 2007
The Commission has moved to discourage EU countries from using a national
defence clause to buy military clothing and spare parts and avoid the bloc's
competition laws.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196866921.22
Top
Europeans,
Americans fret over China's rise,EU Business Week,07 Dec 2007
A majority of Europeans and Americans view China's emergence as a major
economic power as a threat, with only the British seeing an opportunity,
according to a survey.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196874121.27
Top
India-European
Union Summit: Joint Statement and Joint Action Plan - Implementation Report, EU
Business Week,30 Nov 2007
The eighth India-European Union Summit was held in Delhi on 30 November 2007.
The Republic of India was represented by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Shri
Pranab Mukherjee, External Affairs Minister, Shri Kamal Nath, Minister for
Commerce and Industry, Shri M K Narayanan, National Security Adviser.The EU was
represented by Mr Jose Socrates, Prime Minister of Portugal, in his capacity as
President of the European Council, by Mr Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the
European Commission, Mr Peter Mandelson, European Commissioner for Trade, and
Mr Joao Gomes Cravinho, Portuguese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and
Cooperation.
The following documents from the Summit are available at the website of the
Delegation of the European Commission in India:
www.delind.ec.europa.eu
1. India-EU Joint Statement
2. India-EU Joint Action Plan: Implementation Report EU adopts new television
advertising rules
Top
EU nations
endorse standard system for mobile TV, EU Business Week,30 Nov 2007
The rapid roll-out of television on mobile phones across Europe took a key step
forward on Thursday with Member States supporting an industry standard for the
bloc.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196353021.95
EU adopts new television advertising rules
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196344023.57
Top
Brussels
proposes fishing cuts amid dwindling stocks, EU Business Week,30 Nov 2007
The Commission has proposed a 25 per cent cut in cod fishing quotas for most of
the EU's waters, warning that with cod and other fish "most stocks remain
overfished".
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196257622.19
EU tightens controls on tuna fishing
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196173921.76
Top
EU reaches
agreement on satnav project, EU Business Week,30 Nov 2007
EU countries, excluding Spain, reached agreement Thursday on the Galileo
satellite navigation project, after lengthy talks on how the work would be
divided up.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196376422.28
Top
EU initials
trade deal with East African nations, EU Business Week,30 Nov 2007
The Commission has initialled an interim trade accord with five east African
nations that will replace preferential tariff agreements due to expire this
year.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196180221.82
Top
Youngsters
missing out on EU employment boom, EU Business Week,30 Nov 2007
The Commission admitted on Monday that while unemployment within the EU is
falling, the situation is not so rosy for young workers with 17.4 per cent of
15-24 year olds registered jobless.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1196090225.34
Top
Cyprus euro
campaign ditches Santa, EU Business Week,30 Nov 2007
Santa Claus has been abandoned by Cyprus this Christmas as the island resorts
to Greek mythology and tennis ace Marcos Baghdatis to win over Cypriots in its
euro campaign.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1195823821.96
Top
Mandelson: EU
seeks ambitious trade pact with "indispensable" India,New Delhi, 29 November
2007
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has today argued that an ambitious Free
Trade Agreement between India and the EU could provide a big boost to both
economies and shore up global demand if the world economy begins to cool.
Speaking to the EU-India Business Summit ahead of the EU-India Summit tomorrow
he said that reinforcing strong Indian economic growth was now an "integral
part of maintaining global economic demand and a healthy global economy" and "a
mark of India's growing weight in the world. India is now an indispensable part
of the global economic architecture".
Urging European and Indian businesses to push for an ambitious outcome to the
FTA negotiation launched earlier this year, Mandelson said: "Business on both
sides should throw its weight behind a deal that does justice to the ambition
we brought to the table a year ago".
At the heart of a deal: manufacturing, services, investment
Mandelson argued that an EU-India FTA could provide a strong boost to the
Indian manufacturing sector through new access to the European market and by
making European industrial exports to India cheaper. Mandelson noted that 7
million Indians formally work in manufacturing compared to 100 million Chinese.
Mandelson argued that an EU-India FTA could help attract new EU investment to
India, helping the Indian government to attract the investment it wants for
infrastructure improvements: "European services companies bring with them
capital, skills and experience that India wants". Mandelson cited the
successful Indian experience of mobile telephone liberalisation, which boosted
mobile phone ownership in India by 100% in 2006. Mandelson said the EU would
like to see openness in services and investment trade extended into government
procurement in India, and would reciprocate any new access India offered.
Full text of the speech available at:www.delind.ec.europa.eu
Top
EU-India
Summit: setting the path for a growing strategic partnership,Brussels, 29
November 2007
The 8th EU-India Summit will take place on 30 November 2007 in New Delhi. This
year's Summit will confirm in many respects the strengthening of EU-India
relations: on the agenda are issues like trade, energy, climate change, WTO
talks, as well as regional issues such as the South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan. It is
expected that the two sides will sign the renewal of their cooperation
agreement on science and technology as well as a Memorandum of Understanding on
EC- India development cooperation 2007 - 2010 amounting to 260 million euro
covering health, education, civil aviation and academic and cultural
cooperation. In addition, the EC will also be providing 7 million euro for the
creation of a European Business and Technology Centre (EBTC) in New Delhi to
foster links between the business and scientific communities from both sides.
On 29th November, in the margins of the Summit, the EU-India Business summit
will take place. Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, and
Jose Socrates, Prime Minister of Portugal and currently holding the EU
Presidency, will meet with Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Commissioner for Trade, Peter Mandelson will also participate in the Summit.
On the eve of the Summit, President Barroso said: "The EU continues to be
India's foremost trading partner and biggest foreign investor. We want EU-India
trade to reach its potential. And the conclusion of a bilateral Free Trade
Agreement will certainly boost bilateral trade. Our political dialogue now
ranges from energy and environment to transport and employment, and we expect
significant progress in fields such as civil aviation, maritime transport and
renewable energy. By joining efforts, the EU and India, the world's two largest
democracies, can have a great impact in addressing global challenges such as
peace and security, governance and climate change."
Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita
Ferrero-Waldner, adds: "India has enormous potential as a global player as well
as an important partner in the region. Recognising India's economic transition,
we can now focus our development cooperation programmes providing support for
its efforts to attain the Millennium Development Goals. For this two-fold
approach we have earmarked Euro 470 million for new cooperation projects from
2007 to 2013."
Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said: "The EU and India have made good
progress so far in our FTA negotiations. It is still early days though, and we
need to use the momentum we have to put initial offers on the table that show a
high level of ambition, and allow us to move forward credibly and
constructively."
India-EU bilateral relations have progressed from trade in goods mostly in
traditional sectors, and development and economic cooperation until the 1990s,
into a 'Strategic Partnership'. Today, in addition to core trade, investment
and cooperation issues, the relationship includes policy dialogues on a
constantly increasing number of sectors such as energy and environment, climate
change, and culture, exchanges at civil society level and between
parliamentarians.
The EU continues to be India's main trading partner accounting for one-fifth of
her total trade as well as the biggest source of actual foreign direct
investment into India. Bilateral trade in goods touched 46 billion euros in
2006. The EU is also one of India's leading partners in development and
economic cooperation. The two countries cooperate regularly at the multilateral
level whether at the UN or the WTO. The EU supports the efforts towards
regional cooperation in South Asia under the aegis of SAARC. India has also
recently joined the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) which provides a new forum for
the two sides to work together on issues of mutual interest and concern.
Cooperation in the field of Science and Technology is growing rapidly.
Currently new joint cooperation initiatives are being launched in the field of
environment, energy, materials, nanotechnology, agriculture and biotechnology.
For further information:
http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/india/intro/index.htm
www.delind.ec.europa.eu
Top
European Union
Cultural Weeks launched in Delhi with eight exhibitions under one roof, New
Delhi, 23 November 2007
The President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Dr. Karan Singh,
the Ambassador of Portugal, H.E. Mr. Luis Filipe Castro Mendes, and the
Ambassador, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission, H.E. Ms Daniele
Smadja, jointly inaugurated the 3rd European Union Cultural Weeks at the Mati
Ghar gallery at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) here on
Wednesday, 21 Nov. Eight different exhibitions which have been put up at the
IGNCA as part of the EU Cultural Weeks were simultaneously launched on this
occasion in the presence of many Ambassadors from the EU Member States.
The EU Cultural Weeks in being held from 22 Nov - 02 Dec in the context of the
EU-India Summit taking place in New Delhi on 30 Nov.
Dr. Karan Singh complimented the embassies of the EU Member States in India for
bringing different show-pieces of European art, among them paintings, water
colours, photographs, posters, and installations to India. Mr. Luis Mendes
stressed the importance of EU Cultural Weeks in reinforcing the cultural
dimension of the EU-India relations.
Ms D. Smadja said, "Culture and creativity are important drivers for personal
development, social cohesion and economic growth. The EU and India are both
blessed with extraordinary cultural richness and diversity. Cultural diversity
is not only to be preserved and promoted within Europe; we also aim to promote
cultural diversity in our international relations, as a contribution to
sustainable development, peaceful coexistence and dialogue between cultures."
As on previous occasions in 2003 and 2005, the EU Cultural Weeks 2007 offering
is diverse and ranges from exhibitions to musical performances and film
screenings. In all, there will be 35 different events including 12 exhibitions,
10 musical events, 11 film screenings and two talks organised as part of the
Cultural Weeks. Almost all the Member States of the EU present in India are
participating in the Cultural Weeks.
Each event is unique - every time there is a different artist or a group of
artists, playing or performing something different from others, and coming from
different countries within the EU, perhaps speaking a different European
language. What will connect them to their Indian audience will be their work,
their art and their music.
Exhibitions: Eight different exhibitions will be put up at the Mati Ghar
gallery, IGNCA, by Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech republic, Estonia, Poland, Portugal,
Sweden and the European Commission. The exhibitions at Mati Ghar will remain
open for public viewing from 11.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. from 22 Nov – 02 December.
Other venues in Delhi are also being used: the National Gallery of Modern Art
(Romania), the British Council (UK), Rajiv Chowk metro station (Finland) and
Lalit Kala Akademi (Portugal).
The works on display include paintings or graphics by European artists, works
of European photographers, theatre architecture, "phonescoping" and an
exhibition that traces the history of maritime contacts between the EU and
India, amongst others.
The Prime Minister of Portugal, Mr. Jose Socrates, will inaugurate the
architecture exhibition of Alvaro Siza at the Lalit Kala Akademi on 30 Nov at
6.00 p.m.
Music events: From 22 November to 1 December, every evening is bringing a
European musical treat to Delhi music fans. Most performances will take place
at the Sri Sathya Sai auditorium : "Dancing through Europe" by Poland (24 Nov,
6.30 p.m.), traditional folk dance and music by a six-member group from
Bulgaria (27 Nov, 6.30 p.m.), Joint classical music concert (Concilium Musicum
Wien and BdB duo) by Austria and Spain (29 Nov, 7.00 p.m.), Jazz band Saskia
Laroo and group from the Netherlands (01 Dec, 06.30 p.m.) and a fusion musical
event featuring Sarangi recital by Kamal Sabri accompanied by a solo dance
performance by Giles Chuyen followed by Saskia Rao-De Haas (on Cello) and Pt.
Shubhendra Rao (Sitar), staged by the Delegation of the European Commission (28
Nov, 6.30 p.m.). Hungarian Folk Music collected by Zoltan Kodaly (concert by
Hungarian State Folk Ensemble Orchestra) will be staged at India International
Centre (IIC) (26 Nov, 6.30 p.m.).
Cinema: Three Film screenings will be organised at IIC auditorium which include
the film L'Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio (The Orchestra of Piazza Vittorio) from
Italy (23 Nov, 6.30 p.m.), Tha To Metaniossis (Think It Over) from Greece (27
Nov, 6.30 p.m.), and Alice from Portugal(30 Nov, 6.30 p.m.). The Slovenian film
Poletje v školjki (A Summer in a Sea-Shell) will be screened at the Alliance
Francaise on 21 Nov at 11.00 a.m. and the Slovakian film Pásla kone na betóne
(She Kept Crying For The Moon) will be screened at the Slovak embassy
auditorium on 22 Nov at 7.00 p.m.
The embassies of Hungary and Austria are presenting a series of six
Austro-Hungarian Films that will be screened at the Hungarian Information and
Cultural Centre from 24 – 30 November.
Talks: The Embassy of Portugal will organise a talk by renowned Portuguese
architect Carlos Castanheira on the "Architecture of Álvaro Siza" (28 Nov, 3.30
p.m. at the School of Planning and Architecture) and the Embassy of Ireland
will organise a talk on "Gulliver's Dublin" by Eamon Morrissey – “a personal
exploration of the connections between the life and times of Jonathan Swift's
Gulliver and contemporary Ireland” on 29 Nov at 7.00 p.m. at the Stein
auditorium, India Habitat Centre.
Further details are available at:
www.delind.ec.europa.eu/en/eucw07/
Top
EU in telecoms
industry shake-up despite opposition, EU Business Week,16 Nov 2007
The Commission has embarked on a collision course with Europe's biggest
telecoms groups and national regulators with plans to infuse more competition
into the industry.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/1194958932.27
Top
European growth
rebounds despite growing headwinds, EU Business Week,16 Nov 2007
European economic growth rebounded in the third quarter despite financial
market swings and the record strength of the euro and oil prices.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Factsfig/1195035422.91
Top
EU clamps down
on Internet air ticket sellers, EU Business Week,16 Nov 2007
The Commission has announced a crackdown on airline ticket selling Internet
sites after a probe found that hundreds were guilty of unfair practices or
misleading advertising.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/1195039022.29
Top
EU antitrust
probe into Google's DoubleClick deal, EU Business Week,16 Nov 2007
EU antitrust regulators launched on Tuesday an in-depth investigation into
Google's takeover of the online advertising firm DoubleClick over concerns the
deal could threaten competition.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Internet/1194976022.44
Top
SKorea improves
tariff offers for FTA with EU, EU Business Week,16 Nov 2007
South Korea has improved its tariff offers to try to make a breakthrough in
free trade talks with the European Union.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/1195019222.69
Top
Britain the
'dustbin of Europe': officia, EU Business Week,16 Nov 2007
Britain has become the 'dustbin of Europe' as Britons throw more rubbish into
landfill sites than any other country in the European Union, new figures show.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/1194866222.03
Top
EU report urges
Turkey to speed up reforms, EU Business Week,9 Nov 2007
The European Commission told EU hopeful Turkey on Tuesday that it needed to
relaunch its political reform programme after "limited progress" this year.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Turkey/1194354123.97
Top
African trade
unions call to resist EU pressure, EU Business Week,9 Nov 2007
Trade union leaders from nine African countries have urged their governments to
resist pressure to reach a new trade deal with the EU by the year's end.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/1194452222.57
Top
EU acknowledges
problems with Siberian overflight pact, EU Business Week,9 Nov 2007
The Commission on Thursday implicitly acknowledged problems holding up the
signing of an agreement with Russia over a reduction in taxes EU airlines pay
to fly over Siberia.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/1194532321.61
Top
Cyprus to give
foot and mouth aid to farmers, EU Business Week,9 Nov 2007
Cyprus has approved emergency financial aid to farmers whose livestock are to
be slaughtered following an outbreak of foot and mouth on the Mediterranean
island.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Agri/1194449521.87
Top
Greece calls on
EU to guarantee its feta sovereignty, EU Business Week,9 Nov 2007
Greece has urged EU nations to help guarantee its exclusive right to use feta
as the name for its famously tangy cheese.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Food/1194022926.03
Top
Europe's forests
flourishing, but fires remain a threat, EU Business Week,9 Nov 2007
Fires pose a major threat to Europe's woodlands, but the continent remains the
world's only area where forest ecosystems are undergoing a revival, says a
study.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/1194283922.03
Top
ECB rate bind
deepens as economy slows, EU Business Week,2 Nov 2007
The European Central Bank faces a growing bind over keeping a lid on price
pressures as the economy slows, economists said on Wednesday amid mounting
evidence of weak economic confidence and surging inflation.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/1193835721.81
Top
Ministers
confirm EU border-free expansion prospects, EU Business Week,2 Nov 2007
Interior ministers and officials from 18 EU countries met in an upbeat mood
last Friday fuelled by the firm conviction that the EU's border-free Schengen
zone will soon double in size with the inclusion of nine new member states.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Living_in_EU/1193422621.22
Top
European
steelmakers seek duties on Chinese imports, EU Business Week,2 Nov 2007
European steelmakers have lodged anti-dumping complaints with the Commission
against imports from China, Taiwan and South Korea seeking corrective duties.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/1193669222.05
Top
EU postpones
health measures fearing fallout for brain scans, EU Business Week,2 Nov 2007
The Commission has proposed to suspend plans to cut workers' exposure to
potentially dangerous electromagnetic fields after realising it could limit the
use of brain scans. .
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/1193417221.57
Top
Britain to keep
limits on Romanian, Bulgarian workers, EU Business Week,2 Nov 2007
Britain will keep restrictions on the number of Romanian and Bulgarian workers
it allows in for at least another year.
http://www.eubusiness.com/UK/1193746622.48
Top
Massive rise in
GM farming not enough: biotech industry, Bulgarian workers, EU Business Week,2
Nov 2007
Despite long-standing and recently more pronounced scepticism of genetically
modified organisms, the past 12 months have seen a massive 77 per cent increase
in the area planted with genetically modified crops in Europe.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Agri/gm-farming.01
Top
Industrialised
countries announce anti-piracy plan, EU Business Week, 26 Oct 2007
Major industrialised countries have announced plans for a new
anti-counterfeiting pact as they seek to clamp down on money-spinning piracy in
global trade.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/1193156225.6
Top
EU court
overturns German VW 'Golden Share' law, EU Business Week, 26 Oct 2007
Europe's highest court has overturned a law that protects VW from takeovers,
striking a blow against "golden share" deals and allowing Porsche to tighten
its grip on the continent's biggest carmaker.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/1193131021.75
Top
EU seeks to
take on the 'Big Four' auditors, EU Business Week, 26 Oct 2007
The EU said on Tuesday it wants to increase competition in the international
accounting and audit industry given a stranglehold by the "Big Four" firms on
the sector.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/1193158921.56
Top
EU 'blue card'
scheme to attract skilled migrants, EU Business Week, 26 Oct 2007
The Commission has unveiled its new "blue card" labour scheme aimed at
attracting highly qualified immigrants to the EU to fill millions of jobs.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/1193156224.86
Top
EU authorises
genetically modified maize & sugar beet, EU Business Week, 26 Oct 2007
The Commission on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for genetically modified strains
of maize and sugar beet to enter the European market.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/1193230921.12
Top
Britain
'lobbied against mobile roaming price caps', EU Business Week, 26 Oct 2007
Britain lobbied against EU plans to impose price caps on mobile phone roaming
rates which were put into place earlier this year, The Times reported on
Thursday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/1193277721.86
Top
After roaming
caps, EU eyes prices for text messages , EU Business Week, 5 Oct 2007
The European Commission is urging mobile phone operators to cut their rates for
text messages and data or face price caps like those recently put in place on
roaming rates.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/1191510134.13
Top
EU deadlocked
over funding for Galileo satnav project, EU Business Week, 5 Oct 2007
The EU failed on Tuesday to break a deadlock over how to fund the bloc's
ambitious but troubled Galileo satellite network in the face of German
opposition to the funding scheme.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/1191338225.84
Top
Plan for 17
nations to lose seats in Euro-Parliament, EU Business Week, 5 Oct 2007
A European Parliament committee has approved plans to reduce the overall size
of the Parliament and allot fewer seats to 17 of the 27 EU member states in the
next legislature.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/1191320234.02
Top
EU confident of
case against Poland over cod quotas, EU Business Week, 5 Oct 2007
The Commission has expressed confidence that it would win its case should
Poland turn to Europe's top court to solve a dispute over cod fishing quotas in
the Baltic Sea.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Fisheries/1191503833.52
Top
EU sees growing
risks to eurozone growth, EU Business Week, 5 Oct 2007
The 13 countries sharing the euro face growing risks to their economic outlook
due to extreme volatility in financial markets, the Commission said in its
latest Quarterly Report on the Euro Area.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/1191496622.3
Top
Eastern states
to join no-borders zone ahead of Xmas, EU Business Week, 5 Oct 2007
Nine new EU member states, mainly former Soviet bloc nations, will join the
bloc's border-free Schengen zone on December 21, just in time for Christmas.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/1191438133.57http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/1191496622.3
Top