These slides where created as part of the European Union Course taught by Franziska Lindhout at Indian Institute of Technology Madras.

1. EU-India Relations

2. Why to study EU-India relations?
• Separated widely by geography as well as history, there are, striking
parallels in the recent journeys of the European Union and India
– Similar but unique process of institution-building, with need to
balance people’s rights and the need for cohesion
– 2 largest democracies in the world
– Culturally and linguistically, most diverse regions on the planet
– Both had 28 member states(!)

3. What are some Historical evidence to
suggest India-EU relations?
• Historically, EU countries have had interest in India
• English, French, Dutch, Portuguese have all had colonized India in the
past
• Silk route, through India – biggest factor in development of civilizations
in India.
• In addition to economic trade, the Silk Route served as ways of carrying
out cultural trade between the networking civilizations

4. Why India relations important to EU?
• India is of interest to every country in the world, let alone EU nations.
Some reasons attributed to the interest are:
– Population of 1.27 billion. With 65% below 35 yrs. of age, India has
the biggest workforce in the world
– Biggest consumer base
– Important player in security and counter-terrorism
– Rate of development
– Democratic, as opposed to communism in China, that holds them
back on several fronts(!)
– Cheap labour
– Improved support from Government to foreign investors
– Culturally diverse

5. Why EU relations important to India?
• One of India’s biggest trade partner
• To support India for a permanent membership in UNSC
• Shares a good portion of history with several EU countries
• Trade and employment from Europe based companies, vital
for Indian economy
• Strategic relations with EU is vital in areas of security,
environment, climate control, science and technology

6. EU-India relations: Chronology
• 1962: India establishes diplomatic
relations with EEC*
• 1971: EU provides trade support
through the Generalized System of
Preferences (GSP)
• 1973: The EU and India sign a
Commercial Cooperation Agreement
for marketing support to several
sectors of Indian industry with export
potential
• 1981: India and the EU sign a
Commercial and Economic Cooperation
Agreement
• 1983: The EU sets up a Delegation in
India
• 1988: The first meeting of the EU-India
Joint Commission
• 1989: Scientific cooperation between
Indian and the EU is set up in
fundamental as well as applied
research
• 1992: European and Indian industry
establish a Joint Business Forum to
promote trade and investment.
• 1993: The first sector cooperation
programme is launched in primary
education with EU support of €150 mn.
to the Indian Government’s District
Primary Education Programme (DPEP)
• 1994: EU-India Cooperation
Agreement on Partnership and
Development upgrades relationship
• 1996: A second sector cooperation
programme is launched in the area of
health with a grant of €200 mn.

7. Timeline
• 2000: The first EU-India summit is held
in Lisbon, €200 mn. support to India’s
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
• 2001: The EU and India sign an
agreement on Science and Technology
Cooperation
• 2004: A Strategic Partnership is
launched
• 2005: A Joint Action Plan to
implement the Strategic Partnership is
agreed to strengthen dialogue and
consultation mechanisms, bring
together people and cultures, enhance
economic policy dialogue and develop
trade and investment
• 2006: €160 mn. State Partnership
Programme is launched with Rajasthan
and Chhattisgarh
• 2008 A Joint Declaration on Education
is signed to facilitate cooperation in
higher education
• 2009: A Joint Declaration on
Multilingualism is signed between the
EU and India.
• 2011: The European Investment Bank
provides a framework loan of €200 mn.
to finance projects in the renewable
energy sector. The EU and India sign a
Joint Declaration on Culture
• 2012: Adopted at the EU-India Summit,
a Joint Declaration on Energy foresees
cooperation on smart grids, clean coal
technologies, nuclear safety and
security, biofuels and renewable
energy.
• 2012: The EU-India Skills Development
Project is launched for vocational
education and training.

8. Strategic Partners
• Both believe in
– democracy,
– human rights,
– the rule of law, and
– the market economy,
but also in inclusive development which promotes the welfare of
the have-nots in our societies through progressive public policy
• In 1962, what was to become the EU was the European
Economic Community; and relations with India were focused
on trade and development.

9. Strategic Partners
• The opening of the Delegation of the European Commission in
1983 in New Delhi
• 1994: EU-India Partnership and Development Agreement,
provided legal basis for cooperation
• Partnership and Development Agreement:
– further development and diversification of trade and investment in their mutual interest, taking into
account their respective economic situations
– facilitation of better mutual understanding and strengthening of ties between the two regions in
respect of technical, economic and cultural matters
– building up of India's economic capability to interact more effectively with the Community
– support of environmental protection and sustainable management of natural resources
• 2000: First EU-India summit
• 2004: The dialogue between the EU and India has been
elevated to that of a Strategic Partnership

10. Trade and Economic Cooperation
• EU is India’s largest trading partner.
• The bilateral relationship is reviewed annually by India – EU
Summit at the level of Indian PM and the Presidency of the
EU.
• Announcement of Strategic Partnership was made at 5th India-
EU Summit held in Hague in November 2004

11. Generalized System of Preference
• The EU was one of the few WTO members to offer a unilateral
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) to third countries,
which in this case includes India
• Since the scheme covers India’s most competitive export
goods, it has been one of the largest beneficiaries of the EU’s
GSP scheme, with goods worth €17 bn. entering the EU on
preferential terms
• India is, by far, the most important source of imports under
the GSP scheme. In 2011, the duty foregone by the EU as a
result of tariff preferences to India under GSP was over €900
mn.

12. Investment and Economic Cooperation
• To promote business and research cooperation in the key
sectors of energy, environment, biotechnology and transport,
the EU has supported the creation of the European Business
and Technology Centre (EBTC)
• Over many years, the EU has also offered targeted trade-
related assistance to boost India’s competitiveness so it can
take greater advantage of the opportunities that the
European market represents
• The scope and potential gains of the EU-India partnership are
enormous. *

14. Free Trade Agreement
• The EU and India launched negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
in 2007
• In the short run alone, India is expected to gain €5 bn. and the EU over €4
bn.
• The FTA vies for stricter enforcement of Intellectual Property(IPR) and
would largely eliminate import duties on both sides. This means, for
example, that clothing exported from India to the EU would no longer pay
the current applicable tariff of 9.6%.
• Indian agricultural products such as rice would also gain significantly
improved market access.
• On the other hand European products like machinery, transport
equipment or other industrial products would get better access to the
Indian market.
• The EU-India FTA would be one of the most significant trade agreements
ever, touching the lives of 1.7 billion people.

15. Opposition to FTA

16. Opposition to FTA
• Discuss: Why FTA is being opposed?

17. Intellectual Property Rights
• The EU’s proposed text on enforcement of intellectual property rights
undermines the legitimate interests of poor patients and Indian generic
manufacturers.
• The EU is proposing an ambitious enforcement mechanism
involving courts, executive authorities, private parties and customs
authorities.
• The provisions would widen the scope of actors that could have penalties
brought against them and also increase the likelihood that wrongful
searches, seizures and legal actions against legitimate suppliers of generic
medicines will be carried out.
• These stricter enforcement measures proposed by the EU go beyond the
requirements of the 1994 Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property
Rights, or TRIPS, Agreement and will negatively affect millions of people
relying on affordable generic medicines produced in India

18. Joint Action Plan
• Sixth EU-India Summit on September 2005 endorsed a Joint EU-India
Action Plan.
• Apart from support to the social sectors (like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in
2000) sufficient funds are to be provided to support the sectors and
actions identified in the Economic, Cultural, Academic and Civil Society
sections of the Action Plan
• Funds were earmarked for the following:
– Economic Sectoral Dialogues and Co-operation
• Economic Policy Cooperation in priority sectors
• Multi-sector Policy Dialogue Support Facility
– Civil Society and Cultural Exchanges
• Civil Society Exchanges including a new Cross Cultural Programme
• Culture Fund
– Academic Exchanges
• A continuation of the co-operation in the higher education sector
• EU and Indian Studies Centres

19. Economic Sectoral Dialogues and Co-operation
• Under the Economic Policy Dialogue and Co-operation section
of the Action Plan, enhanced cooperation and dialogue is
envisaged in the following sectors:
– Trade, Transport, Environment, Energy
– Science and Technology, Space Technology
– Information Society, Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology, Industrial
Policy, Customs Co-operation
– Dialogue on Economic and Financial Matters
– Employment and Social Policy
– Agriculture and Business Dialogue & Co-operation

20. Economic Policy Cooperation
• The proposed initiatives for Economic Policy Cooperation
include the following actions:
• Trade, Industry, and Business Co-operation
• Transport
• Energy
• Environment

21. Multi-sector Policy Dialogue Support Facility
• Financial support provided to the other sectors of the Action Plan enable
the progressive development of enhanced cooperation in these areas.
• These sectors will receive funding either through the 7th Framework
Programme or will be included in the multi-sector Policy Dialogue Support
Facility.
• Some of them will also receive funding through the respective thematic
programmes for external action.
• Depending on the progress made in the period of the first MIP (Multi
Annual Investment Policy) (2007-2010), some of these sectors could be
considered for more substantial Economic Policy Co-operation actions in
the second MIP (2010-2013)

22. Civil Society and Cultural Exchanges
• Engaging civil society has always been an important pillar in
the architecture of the EU India relationship;
• The EU India Round Table and the EC India Cross Cultural
Programme (EICCP) are well known examples.
• The Action Plan stresses the importance of intensifying formal
and informal interaction between civil societies.
• Funds will therefore be provided for continuing demand
driven support to India’s NGO Community, Civil Society, Think
Tanks and non-state actors, including media, journalism and
social partners.

23. EU-India Cross Cultural Co-operation
Programme
• The EICCP aims at improving
– The support for activities in relevant areas and in particular
media, communication, academia and culture,
– The strengthening of cross cultural linkages among civil
society institutions and organizations and
– Better understanding of the cultural diversity existing in
both regions.

24. Culture Fund
• Aims to increase awareness and visibility of India in the EU and of
the EU in India, through a variety of activities - such as the
organization of events, media coverage and other activities.
• Exchange of know-how and expertise in a variety of fields directly
related to the culture-oriented events and actions,
• Closer collaboration among institutions, government agencies and
other civil society interlocutors.
• A wide array of cultural activities were foreseen in the Action Plan,
such as
– EU-India Cultural weeks;
– support to film festivals cultural weeks and
– thematic cultural years to increase awareness of European culture in
India and vice-versa, as well as twinning between European and Indian
cities.

25. Academic Exchanges
• Cooperation between institutions of higher education and the
exchange of scholars and students play a significant role in
enhancing mutual knowledge.
• Higher Education:
– To enhance international cooperation capacity of Indian universities by
facilitating transfer of know-how and good practices in the field of student
and academic staff mobility.
– The European Commission will contribute to financing a mobility scheme
between European universities holding an Erasmus Charter and Indian
universities that will complement existing programmes in the field of
higher education. The types of mobility to be funded are:
• For students: master, doctorate and post-doctorate mobility opportunities;
• For academic staff: exchanges for the purposes of teaching, practical training and
research. Higher cooperation activities will be funded under the regional programming
facility for Asia

26. EU and India Study Centres
• Created with the mutual aim to enhance visibility and knowledge
about the European Union in India and vice versa
• European Study Centres and Centres for Contemporary Indian
Studies are created in India and the EU, aimed at developing and
intensifying academic links, promoting knowledge on both regions
and mutual understanding.
• These Centres support joint research, including on topics of
common interest as identified in the Joint Action Plan, as well as
teach courses on contemporary political and economic themes in
the EU and India.
• Support are also being provided to already existing initiatives and
entities set-up with similar aims and objectives.

28. Cooperation in Health Sector
• EU’s sectoral support in healthcare in India was initiated in
October 1998
• SIP was an integral part of the Government of India’s National
Family Welfare Programme.
• The programme operated at all levels of the system – central,
state and district – with an emphasis on decentralization,
community involvement in decision making and the capacity
development of health service providers.
• The European Union made a contribution of €240 mn. for this
time bound programme.

29. Cooperation in Health Sector
• Today, the EU supports the Government of India’s National
Rural Health Mission - focusing on Reproductive and Child
Health.
• Contributes €110 mn. with the twin objectives of enhancing
India’s progress towards Millennium Development Goal
– reducing child mortality and
– improving maternal health through better health service delivery and
support to the country’s health systems.
• Programme focuses on: human resource capacity, planning and
development, monitoring and evaluation for decision making, and
pays close attention to gender issues and the mainstreaming of
marginalized groups, including scheduled castes and tribes.

30. Partners in Research and Development
• The Agreement on scientific and technological
cooperation in 2001
• The agreement was renewed in 2007.
• The EU-India Joint Action Plan adopted in 2005
also included a significant research and
innovation dimension.
• India-EU Ministerial Science Conference in
February 2007 in New Delhi: a milestone,
• First time that the Council of the European Union
interacted with a partner country outside of
Europe.

31. Partners in Research and Development
• The successful implementation since 2007 of regular coordinated calls for
proposals between the EU and India in the fields of
– computational materials science,
– food and nutrition research,
– solar energy research and
– water related challenges,
• Total budget of €60 mn. has been co-funded by India and the EU
• India - a key partner in major international projects such as the
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project.
• In addition, an Agreement for cooperation in the field of fusion energy
research signed in 2009
• Implemented by the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) and
India’s Department of Atomic Energy
• Works towards better cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy

32. References
• India, Country Strategy Paper:
http://eeas.europa.eu/india/csp/07_13_en.pd
f
• Culture in External Relations:
http://cultureinexternalrelations.eu/wp-
content/uploads/2014/02/country-report-
India-26.02.2014.pdf