europe united to promote research and innovation cooperation...

In this Issue

Promoting Sustainable Consumption in India

The EU and India to Intensify Partnership in Education

Green Technologies: Great Opportunity for India-EU Cooperation

EU launches €7 Billion Research Programme

Cooperation on Economic and Financial Matters to Increase

The EU Blue Card: Opportunity Beckons Skilled Workers

EU News

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vOl 10NO 3May- JUN. 2011

The EU and its Member States have held a series of information seminars in 27 research and innovation hotspots throughout India to raise awareness about

the opportunities that Europe can offer for research and innovation cooperation. This large-scale and first-ever combined exercise involved over 100 presentations by 26 Science and Technology Counselors and representatives of research organisations from Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, as well as from the Delegation of the European Union, the European Business and Technology Centre, and the European Research Council. Six speakers came for this campaign from Europe. Among them were the Chief Technology Adviser at Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation and the senior Science Adviser to the Academy of Finland.

Research and innovation is the key to a better future and the pivot of the European Union’s strategy for Europe 2020. ‘Innovation Union’- one of the EU’s 7 flagship initiatives for a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy aims to ensure that innovative ideas translate into ‘take to market’ products and services by improving conditions for research and easing access to finance. India too has

a long tradition of science, technology & innovation with a sizeable pool of scientists and researchers. Recognising its importance, India declared 2010-20 as the Decade of Innovation. Its National Innovation Council is focussing on a new model of inclusive growth appropriate to the country’s needs and challenges.

Research in itself cannot be carried out in isolation within the EU; and there is no reason for cooperation to end at the borders of Europe. Both the EU & India have placed international cooperation at the heart of their initiatives. India has around 73 bilateral science and technology collaboration programmes, many of them with the EU Member States. The European Union itself has a dynamic Science & Technology cooperation agreement with India.

The events under this initiative were organized in Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Jammu, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mandi, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Patna, Pune, Roorkee, Shillong, Thiruvananthapuram and Vellore. Eleven universities and research organisations hosted the information session in their cities and about 3,300 participants registered for the 27 events. They

NEWSLETTER OF THE DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO INDIANEWSLETTER OF THE DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO INDIA

Europe United to Promote Research and Innovation Cooperation with India

Speakers at Bangalore (l to r) - Ludo Diles of VITO, Belgium; Jhansi Kota of the European Research Council and Leena Pishe Thomas of the EBTC

EU-India environment Co-operation

N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E D E L E G A T I O N O F T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N T O I N D I AEU-INDIAUPDATE2

included students looking for doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships in Europe, researchers wanting to know of research opportunities and how to connect with potential collaborators, and representatives of SMEs and larger companies who too sensed an opportunity and were looking for ways to connect.

In the smaller cities, the host institutions took it upon themselves to attract the audience. For example, at the North Eastern Hill University in Shillong there were 200 participants; at the University of Jammu, almost 175 persons attended the event, while in Kanpur, at the Indian Institute of Technology, there were almost 165 participants. Extensive question and answer sessions showed that there is a strong interest in the cooperation opportunities that exist.

The response from participants was extremely positive. Indian scientists and science administrators led by Dr T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (the highest ranking contact point for all international cooperation activities) congratulated the EU and its Member States for jointly undertaking such an initiative to provide information about the

Fair Trade Forum – India (FTF-I) in partnership with HIVOS, IRFT (The Shop for International Resources for

Fairer Trade) and Shop for Change organized a Summit on Sustainable Consumption & Social Responsibility on 23rd June in New Delhi to create alliances among EU-funded SWITCH-Asia projects in India and FTF-I member organizations. Representatives from government and industry were also present. It was generally agreed that promoting the use of fair trade and sustainable products requires setting up an information bank for artisans about the facilities and assistance available, the use of local raw materials and low-cost technology solutions for more products, certification systems to enable customers to trace genuine articles, and the promotion of ecological purchasing by households as well as the government.

A baseline study conducted by Fair Trade Forum-India and Dutch agency HIVOS as part of the EU-supported ProSustain project has indicated that sustainable consumption is emerging in India. Survey results show

that consumers in the age group of 20 – 30 years are strongly in favour of sustainable and fairly produced products, especially when it comes to items of personal care. There is a shift in demand from standardized and mass produced factory products towards handmade, sustainable or natural products for which the origin is traceable. Consumers also expect a brand to emerge which stands for and certifies the underlying values of sustainable consumption such as environmental sustainability and child-labour free processes. Products and services must increasingly meet both functional and emotional needs, represented by values such as sustainability.

Sustainable consumption and Fair Trade in IndiaThe ProSustain project is organising fairs and exhibitions in college campuses, developing an umbrella brand for

Promoting Sustainable Consumption in India

opportunities for cooperation with Europe.

Given the very positive feedback received, it is likely that such an information campaign will be organised in India on a regular basis in the future. All the presentations made during the campaign, as well as information material made available during the campaign are available at http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/india/st_awereness_campaign/index_en.htm

Pro Vice Chancellor of the North Eastern Hill University Prof. D. R. Syiemlieh

There is a shift in demand from standardized and mass produced factory products towards handmade, sustainable or natural products for which the origin is traceable.

EU-India environment Co-operation


Fair Trade shops in India, promoting ‘GIFT’ - Give Fair Trade, a corporate gifting program; and participating in major exhibitions at other platforms provided by various ministries of the central and state governments. Shop for Change - a domestic Fair Trade label - is also promoted under the project, which at present applies to cotton garments and selected food products such as aamla (Indian gooseberry or emblica), cashew and mango.

In addition to ProSustain, there are several initiatives in India working towards the three related objectives of 1) creating awareness about sustainable products and sustainable patterns of consumption, 2) building the capacity of producers and businesses to cater to the emerging needs of conscious consumers, and 3) initiatives to support policy change. These include other Switch Asia projects such as SUSTEX (Sustainable Textiles for sustainable Development in India), WEEE-Recycle (Establishing E-Waste Channels to Enhance Environment Friendly Recycle); and the project Jute: An Eco-friendly Alternative for a Sustainable Future, being implemented with 500 small and medium enterprises in Bangladesh and West Bengal.

Consumer groups in India are also taking active part in promoting sustainable practices and campaign against unsustainable and unsafe products. With the strict implementation of labelling norms, the packaged food industry in India is sharing more information with

consumers. Most recently, a sustainable product guide was launched in India by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs in partnership with the German Technical Cooperation agency GTZ.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in ProSustain Stall in Eco Meet

Awareness raising for Fair Trade

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Cooperation in Education

The EU has agreed to look at the possibility of using existing fellowship programmes such as Erasmus Mundus and Marie Curie to promote teaching and research assignments for junior members of Indian university faculty in Europe.

A Senior Officials Meeting on education on the 25th of May 2011 focussed on quality assurance in

universities, and the potential of credit transfer systems and mutual recognition of degrees and diplomas based on the experience gained by consortia participating in the Erasmus Mundus and EU-India Study Centre programmes supported by the EU in India. A joint study on mutual recognition, outlining best practices, and listing the legal and other challenges required to be addressed, and proposing the way forward will also

be conducted. In addition the EU has agreed to look at the possibility of using existing fellowship programmes such as Erasmus Mundus and Marie Curie to promote teaching and research assignments for junior members of Indian university faculty in Europe. The next round of the Senior Officials meeting in India in the spring of 2012 will feature seminars on technology enabled learning and the challenges of higher education.

Dialogue in this area is now based on the Joint Declaration on Education, signed in 2008, through which both partners acknowledged the crucial contribution of education and training to the development of knowledge-based societies and economies and the key role they play in boosting growth and employment.

Since the early 1990s education has been accorded very high priority in the development policy of the EU in India - the overall objective being to contribute to poverty reduction. The European Union has contributed substantially to school education through the District Primary Education Programme, followed by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, India’s flagship programme in elementary education. Its support will continue through its contribution to the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) in secondary education.

In the higher education space the EU sponsors the Erasmus Mundus scholarship and exchange programme through which more than 2,500 Indian students have studied in Europe. It has also established EU-India Study Centres in Indian and European universities to develop an in-depth understanding of social, economic and political developments on both sides.

The EU and India to Intensify Partnership in Education

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Environment Cooperation

Green Technologies: Great Opportunity for India-EU Cooperation

India is witnessing a shift in focus towards Green Technologies in the wake of increased public awareness,

environmental pressures, and conscious government support. Europe, on its part, is doing its best to lead by example and is committed to the complete decarbonisation of energy by 2050, according to Ms. Georgette Lalis, Director for Energy Policy in the European Commission. In transport, power, manufacturing and services there are growing opportunities for collaboration between the two sides. Pointing out that the demand for clean technologies would comprise a global market worth many trillions of dollars by 2010, EU Ambassador to India Danièle Smadja recently told the Global Technology Partnership Forum that achieving global development goals in a sustainable manner was an enormous challenge and expressed happiness over the priority being given by India to efforts to promote a low-carbon development path through its Decade of Innovation initiative. The forum, held in New Delhi on 11-12 May, was organized by the European Business and Technology Centre (EBTC) with Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

The visit of a 23-member delegation from 17 companies

and research organisations from EU countries including Belgium, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Portugal, Austria and Italy to the Forum featured many advanced European

At the high school and vocational level an International Conference on Improving the Quality of Secondary Education, from the 10th to the 12th of May 2011, organized by the Ministry of Human Resources Development and its development partners including the European Union, brought together international experts and policy makers to discuss successful programmes for their possible replication. As emphasised throughout the Conference, the quality of education entails not only revising textbooks and curricula but also attention to students’ motivation, improved teacher selection and training, proper school governance and the ensuring of equity and inclusion. The important message emanating from the conference was that access and quality need to go hand in hand. Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal concluded the conference by stating that one “should not forget the link between secondary education and employability and the fact that our secondary education system should also be able to prepare our youths for gainful employment”.

As more and more children are now completing elementary education in India, the education challenge is shifting towards secondary education, and the immediate target

is to raise enrolment form 58% to 75% by improving access and quality. While providing work oriented skills, employability and a better life to young people, this will also ensure that the robust growth of the Indian economy is supported by a well-trained work force on the supply side.

Minister Bansal inaugurating EU cleantech pavilion with the EU Ambassador

The important message emanating from the conference was that access and quality need to go hand in hand.

Environment Cooperation

capabilities in this field. Among them

• Hexicon, a Swedish offshore wind energy company, has developed a floating platform which meets the environmental, technological and cost-related challenges associated with floating offshore wind energy production. With the Hexicon platform, floating offshore wind energy production becomes both profitable and competitive.

• Ecoduna manufactures photo-bioreactors and bio-solar systems for industrial use which significantly reduce the energy input for micro-algae cultivation, and considerably increase the quality and quantity of the algae produced.

• Global Green is an organisation for technological innovation and R&D in renewable energy. Currently it implements projects in the commercial demonstration of bio-ethanol from sweet sorghum.

Wastewater management and renewable energy are areas of great potential for green technology cooperation. India faces diminishing water resources and increasing population pressure. About 65% of the wastewater generated goes untreated, requiring effective wastewater management. The water and wastewater treatment market in India is currently worth € 954 mn. and is expected to grow 13 % annually in the next 3-4 years.

Similarly, renewable energy represents another area of opportunity for EU-India cooperation. India has over 17.5 GW of installed renewable energy capacity which is approximately 10% of the country’s total installed energy capacity, according to estimates of the Government of India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Out of this, wind represents 11.8 GW, small hydro

power represents 2.8 GW, and the remainder is mainly from biomass. In its 11th Five-year Plan, the Government of India has targeted capacity additions of 15 GW of renewable energy, which, if achieved, would bring the cumulative installed capacity to over 25 GW in 2012.

Technology partnerships in the areas of waste management, water treatment and renewable energy between the EU and India would rise to reflect the EU’s vast expertise in these areas, said Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal. Expressing India’s resolve to cooperate with the EU in clean technology and its utilisation, Dr. T. Ramaswamy, Secretary Department of Science and Technology (DST) stressed the need for price reduction for technologies to be able to penetrate the Indian market. He called for suitable adaptation of these technologies to Indian needs and conditions for joint ventures to succeed.

Minister Bansal and Ambassador Smadja inaugurated the European Cleantech Pavilion where the participating European delegates showcased their technology solutions to explore concrete business and research opportunities in renewable energy, water and waste management. The forum was also addressed by the Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farookh Abdullah.

The EBTC launched a study on “India- EU: Creating Market Alliances Building Access for “Waste-Water Management Companies”. The second day of the event was devoted to interactive sessions, panel discussions and business-to-business meetings between EU and Indian companies. More information on this event and the report for download is available at www.ebtc.eu.

Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farookh Abdullah addressing the Forum


Wastewater management and renewable energy are areas of great potential for green technology cooperation.

EU-India Co-operation in Research & Innovation

The European Commission has launched a €7 billion (INR 45,500 crs) research and development fund

aimed at tackling the biggest societal challenges facing Europe and the world. Universities, research organizations and industry worldwide will be able to compete for these funds, with special attention given to small and medium-sized enterprises. The funds will be released under the EU’s 7th Framework Programme for Research. The best researchers and innovators will get together to tackle the biggest issues of our time – clean energy, food security, climate change and the ageing population. Research will be funded in all areas, including health, the bio-economy, information and communication technology, materials, energy, environment, transport, space, security, and related socio-economic studies. There will also be substantial funding available for training programmes through individual fellowships and research grants to top scientists. International cooperation is highly encouraged as the programme is completely open to participation by researchers from all over the world.

Included in the over 50 calls for proposals through which the funds will be allocated are two initiatives co-sponsored by the Government of India in the domain of water research and technology. These initiatives will address water purification, water reclamation, water reuse and the biotechnological treatment of waste water and reuse in agronomical systems. The total funding for these activities, is €32 mn. (INR 208 crs. approximately), with both sides putting in €16mn. each. The objectives is to develop reliable and cost-effective solutions for producing clean and safe drinking water, monitoring techniques for the

detection of water contaminants, promoting technologies for treatment of municipal and household wastewater, developing innovative biotechnological wastewater treatments for improved water recycling for agriculture and improving water use efficiency at field level through agronomics, plant breeding and locally adapted irrigation technologies and techniques. The projects are expected to foster innovation in the water sector, helping policy makers to solve problems of water scarcity and quality.

This initiative adds to existing EU-India research cooperation in the water sector, where several ongoing projects fund collaborative research for improving systems for water resource management in water scarce regions, studying and adapting to the impacts of the retreat of Himalayan glaciers and changes in the monsoon on the water resources in Northern India; preventing and managing urban floods; and supporting technologies and systems for drinking water production and distribution, water supply and sanitation.

Indian scientists can look for European partners on the following site: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html

For more information on the FP7 calls: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/fp7_calls

For more information on EU-India S&T relations:http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/india/eu_india/science_and_technology/index_en.htm

http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/india/st_awereness_campaign/index_en.htm

EU launches €7 Billion Research Programme

Photo credit: Raphael Worni

High altitude science in Ladakh

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Included in the over 50 calls for proposals through which the funds will be allocated are two initiatives co-sponsored by the Government of India in the domain of water research and technology.


The EU and India held their fifth annual macroeconomic and financial services dialogue on 16-17 May in New

Delhi. The raison d’être of the dialogue was very well encapsulated in the welcoming remarks by Ms Loretta Vas, Special Secretary, Ministry of Finance. Recalling the historical ties between the two regions as well as the potential for cooperation she reminded delegates that India and Europe had very similar challenges, making for fruitful exchanges. India has watched “keenly the manner in which Europe handles the tensions arising from financial intermediation”, she said, “and the unstable combination of monetary union and fiscal independence of States at vastly differing levels of productivity and development. Like the European Union, the Indian Union is also based, inter alia, on the principle of a common currency and fiscal federalism with underlying and growing developmental asymmetries.”

In-depth discussions focussed on economic and financial risks and opportunities and policy responses on both sides, including growth prospects, inflation, public finances and the evolution of the current account. A useful exchange of views took place on the management of capital flows, against the background of increasing concerns regarding the nature of capital inflows in India. EU experts expressed the opinion that capital controls were in general not a good option, and preferred the use of softer interest rate-based options in the sequencing of economic policies to cope with volatility in capital flows. They felt that discriminatory measures were only a last resort option, and should in any case be part of an

appropriate policy mix. The Indian side showed keen interest in the situation in Europe, in particular the steps taken to address the sovereign debt crisis and broader d e v e l o p m e n t s in economic and fiscal c o o r d i n a t i o n . The new EU

excessive imbalance procedure (http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=PRES/11/63&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en) was presented and interesting comparisons were made with fiscal management in India.

The dialogue also provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the preparation of the summit of G20 Leaders in Cannes in the autumn, including issues such as the G20 framework for growth and the possible reform of the international monetary system and the role of the Euro in this context. Interesting lessons were drawn from the cooperation between the EU and the IMF in the handling of the European sovereign debt crisis for the articulation of global, regional and national safety nets.

The Indian delegation was led by Ms. Vas while the EU delegation was led by Ms. Nadia Calviño, Deputy Director General of the Directorate General Internal Market and Financial Services, European Commission. Representatives from the European Central Bank, Reserve Bank of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) also took part in the meetings.

For the second time, the dialogue included one full day of discussions on financial services and financial regulation and supervision, in addition to the more usual exchanges on macro-economic challenges and policies. This is a direct consequence of the role financial services played in the recent global crisis and the role that improved regulation and supervision can now play in the way out. The EU has recently overhauled its financial services supervisory system with new authorities being set up (a European Banking Authority, a European Securities and Markets Authority, and a European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority). The discussion highlighted many common challenges in Europe and India with regard to the stability and the efficiency of the financial system and included discussions on banks, insurance and capital markets. Accounting standards and auditing were also identified as promising avenues of cooperation for the EU and India against the background of India’s convergence to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

The scope and depth of discussions were indicative of how quickly the nature of EU-India economic and financial relations changed in recent years. The global

Cooperation on Economic and Financial Matters to Increase

The new EU excessive imbalance procedure was presented and interesting comparisons were made with fiscal management in India.

EU-India Economic Dialogue


EU Blue Card

Blue Card Holders will benefit from equal treatment with citizens of the EU country in which they reside.

Skilled professionals from all over the world, including India, who have been offered employment in the

European Union can now apply for the uniform work and residence permit called the EU Blue Card which entitles its holders to a range of socio-economic rights. The scheme will be operational in 24 Member States of the European Union. Blue Card Holders will benefit from equal treatment with citizens of the EU country in which they reside. EU Member States are allowed to maintain or to introduce national residence permits for the purpose of employment, leaving foreign nationals the choice between applying for a EU Blue Card or for a national residence permit with more advantages. The Blue Card system is not applicable in the UK, Ireland and Denmark.

Application procedureFor obtaining the EU Blue Card, applicants should have at least three years professional experience and present a valid work contract of at least one year, together with the necessary qualifications in the occupation or sector specified in the contract. The gross annual salary offered to applicants should correspond to at least 1.5 times the average gross annual salary in the Member State concerned. The EU Blue Card will be valid from one to four years, with possibility of renewal. A Blue Card may also be issued or renewed for smaller periods in order to cover the work contract period plus three months. Applicants are advised to consult the embassy of the relevant EU Member State to find out where the applications can be submitted.

Decisions will be taken within 90 days. After 18 months of legal residence in the country that first grants the EU Blue Card, holders and their family members may move to another Member State for the purpose of highly qualified employment.

Brain gainTo discourage large-scale emigration of technical and intellectual elites from foreign countries, the Blue Card legislation contains a clause stating that Member States should refrain from pursuing active recruitment in sectors suffering from a lack of personnel, especially in health and education.

Moreover, the EU recognises the importance of fostering and sustaining mobility between the Union and the country of origin of EU Blue Card holders. Short-term rotation will therefore be encouraged so that experience acquired in the EU can be utilised in the applicant’s country of origin. With these provisions to provide economic opportunities backed by social security on the one hand and encourage rotation on the other, skilled professionals will gain well-paid employment in the European Union and the so-called brain drain effect may not just be minimised, but could even be turned into a brain gain.

To find out more, download the full text of the directive at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:155:0017:0029:EN:PDF

The EU Blue Card: Opportunity Beckons Skilled Workers

economic and financial crisis has shown the increasing value of policy coordination – which is now embedded into the mandate of the G20, the main body to steer economic policies at global level. Both India and the EU agreed that the G20 was instrumental in delivering a new system of global governance to ensure strong and sustainable growth and achieve a stable global financial architecture. The main function of the bilateral dialogue is therefore not only to exchange information on economic and financial developments in Europe and in India, as initially planned,

but also to allow a much better understanding of each other priorities, challenges and consequent positions in international forums, leading eventually to a better coordination of economic policies.

The next edition of the macroeconomic and financial services dialogue will take place in 2012 in Brussels. Given the importance of coordination on the issues discussed in this context, it was agreed to further cooperation at technical level on several issues in-between the annual meetings.


EU NEWSEU NEWSCroatia to Join the EU as its 28th Member StateCroatia is on course to becoming the 28th Member State of the European Union on 1 July 2013. European Commission President Jose Barroso made the announcement on 10 June, describing it a “historic day for Croatia and for the European Union.”

Congratulating the government and people of Croatia,

President Barroso said that accession was a project which transcended political boundaries. He described the development as a signal to the rest of South Eastern Europe. “It shows that enlargement works, that the EU is serious about its commitment, and that structural European reforms in the countries pay off, “he said. Negotiations with Croatia were concluded by the end of June 2011, allowing for the signature of the Accession Treaty to take place before the end of the year.

The Council commended Croatia for its intensive efforts, which have allowed accession negotiations to reach their final stage and noted that Croatia should continue

its reform efforts with the same vigour, in particular as regards the judiciary and fundamental rights, so as to be able to assume fully the obligations of membership from the date of accession.

For more information: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/candidate-countries/croatia/index_en.htm

European Council Deliberates on Economy, Migration and Arab UnrestThe following are the main conclusions of the European Council of 23-24 June:

• The Council welcomed the near completion of the implementation of the comprehensive package of measures agreed last March to put Europe back on the path towards sustainable and job-creating growth and strengthen economic governance. It also endorsed country-specific recommendations for upcoming national decisions on budgets and structural reforms.

Viktor Orban Prime Minister of Hungary, Jadranka Kosor Prime Minister of Croatia, EU Council President Herman van Rompuy, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

Negotiations with Croatia were concluded by the end of June 2011, allowing for the signature of the Accession Treaty to take place before the end of the year.

News from the European Union


Tests for both natural and manmade hazards have been agreed by the European Commission and the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group.

• The Council set orientations for the development of the EU’s migration policy, as regards the governance of the Schengen area, the control of external borders, the development of partnerships with the countries of the Southern Neighbourhood and the completion of the Common European Asylum System by 2012.

In a separate Declaration regarding developments in its Southern Neighbourhood:

• The Council welcomed steps taken towards a democratic transformation in the region, particularly in Egypt and in Tunisia, praised the announcement for a new Constitution in Morocco, welcomed the review of the Constitution in Jordan, and took positive note of the lifting of the state of emergency and planned constitutional reform in Algeria.

• It supported UN Security Council Resolutions on Libya and the efforts by EU Member States for their implementation. It fully endorsed the Council conclusions on Libya adopted on 20 June 2011, and reiterated its call to Col. Kadhafi to relinquish power immediately. Libya’s democratic transformation remains a primary interest of the European Union.

• The Council condemned the repression and shocking violence of the Syrian regime against its own citizens and welcomed the adoption of new sanctions, while lending full support to UN-led efforts to address the situation.

• The Council expressed concern about the situation in Yemen as also the trials and sentencing of opposition members in Bahrain.

• Noting that the situation in Gaza remains of concern, the Council said fundamental changes across the Arab world highlight the need for progress on the Middle East Peace Process to overcome the current stalemate.

For more information: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/11/st00/st00023.en11.pdf

Mario Draghi is the New President of the European Central Bank The European Council on 24 June appointed Mario Draghi from Italy as President of the European Central Bank. He will hold the post from 1 November 2011 to 31 October 2019, succeeding Jean-Claude Trichet. Dr. Draghi has been Governor of the Bank of Italy since 29 December 2005. He graduated from the University of Rome, received his Ph.D. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and subsequently served as professor of economics at the University of Florence from 1981 to

1991 before he joined the banking sector.

For more information: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=PRES/11/202&type=HTML

Stress tests on EU Nuclear Power Plants begin Starting 1 June 2011, all the 143 nuclear power plants in the European Union will be subject to stress tests designed to measure their safety. Tests for both natural and manmade hazards have been agreed by the European Commission and the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) representing the national authorities of all 27 Member States.

The results of the tests will be shared with the public. Among the emergencies foreseen by the tests are flooding, earthquakes, forest fires, airplane crashes and security

threats such as terrorist attacks. More information on the stress tests is available at the following site: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/nuclear/safety/stress_tests_en.htm

The European Commission is also working closely with countries outside the EU – in particular Switzerland, Russia, Ukraine and Armenia - on re-assessing the safety levels of their nuclear power plants.

At the EU-Japan Summit on May 28, European Commission

EU NEwsEU NEwsEU NEwsEU NEws News from the European Union

Published by Ambassador Danièle Smadja, Head of Delegation

Delegation of the European Union to India65 Golf Links, New Delhi 110 003; Telephone: +91 11 24629237, 43674367; Fax: 24629206

E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/india/index_en.htm

EU - India Calendar of Events

Date Particulars Place

12-13 July 2011 EU-India Trade and Economic Sub Commissions Brussels

25-27 august 2011 Renewable Energy Business and Research Delegation Kolkata

19-20 September 2011 5th EU-India Seminar on Employment and Social Policy New Delhi

22-23 September 2011 Conference on European Identity after the lisbon Treaty New Delhi

22-24 September 2011 European Policy and Strategy analysis System (ESPaS): first conference in India New Delhi

27-28 September 2011 India-EU Forum on Effective Multilateralism New Delhi

30 September 2011 EU-India Joint Working Group on Environment New Delhi

EU-INDIAUPDATE12

Both India and the EU agreed that the G20 was instrumental in delivering a new system of global governance.

President José Barroso declared that “Japan is safe and open for business” and reiterated the position of the G8 leaders at the Deauville Summit concerning the need to promote nuclear safety around the globe through the strengthening of the International Convention on Nuclear Safety under the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Consultation on Market Access in Public Procurement startsThe European Commission has begun consultations prior to drafting new legislation on public procurement in the European Union in the second half of 2011. The objective of this policy will be to gain leverage for negotiating reciprocal terms of access to the public procurement markets of partner countries, and thereby expanding opportunities for companies in the EU. The proposed legislation will also help to clarify the rules for participation of foreign companies in EU markets. The European Union’s public procurement market – representing 16% of its GDP - is valued at €1800 bn. of which €312 bn. is open to non-EU companies. This compares favourably with the value of public procurements open to international bidders in the United States and

Japan - €34 bn. and €22 bn. respectively. Details on the consultation process can be found at: http://trade.ec.europa.eu/consultations/?consul_id=154

Catherine Ashton sets up Task Force for the Southern MediterraneanThe EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton established a new Task Force for the Southern Mediterranean to act as a focal point for assistance to countries in North Africa which are going through political transformation. The Task Force will bring together experts from the European External Action Service, the European Commission, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other international financial institutions. The European Union has responded quickly to the events of the Arab Spring, providing financial assistance and political support to countries like Tunisia and Egypt which are seeking to establish new deep democracies. The EU is also working with its international partners, including the United Nations, the Arab League, the African Union and the Gulf countries Council, to apply political and economic pressure to regimes, like those in Libya, Syria and Yemen, which are seeking to repress the democratic will of the people for change. The EU’s proposal for a new European Neighbourhood Policy seeks to establish a relationship between the EU and its neighbours based on mutual accountability.

For more information: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/504&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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