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The 10th India-European Union Summit was held in New Delhi on 6 November 2009. India was represented by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh; Mr. Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden, in his capacity as President of the Council of the European Union represented EU. The EU Commission’s delegation was led by the President of the European Commission, Mr. José Manuel Barroso, accompanied by Mrs. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy and Ms. Catherine Ashton, Commissioner for Trade.
The Summit underlined the commitment to achieve progress in the negotiations on a bilateral trade and investment agreement. The Summit witnessed the signing of a research agreement in the field of fusion energy between India and Euratom.
The Summit leaders noted that the successive Summit meetings have provided a solid ground for nurturing the strategic partnership between India and the EU. They affirmed their determination to further strengthen the Strategic Partnership and cooperate both at the bilateral and global levels for the cause of peace, security and sustainable development for all. The Joint Action Plan (JAP), reviewed at the 2008 summit in Marseilles has expanded to diverse areas. The EU and India have the ambition to build on this and deepen the dialogue, including one at the political level.
Priorities
The Summit discussed regional and global issues and explored the means to prioritise, rationalise and strengthen EU-India bilateral relations. Expressing satisfaction at the rapid expansion of the relationship between EU and India ever since the Portugal Summit in year 2000, it noted the growing relations as global, strategic and mutually beneficial partnership.
UN Reform
Recalling their Strategic Partnership is rooted in shared values and principles – democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms – both India and the EU agreed on the importance of an effective multilateral system centred on a strong United Nations as the key factor in tackling global challenges. They recognized the need to pursue reforms in the main UN bodies like General Assembly, ECOSOC and the Security Council to enhance representation, transparency and effectiveness of the system.
Trade Treaty
Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt of Sweden and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said “both sides reviewed the progress on negotiations for a broad-based agreement in trade and investment. It is hoped that the negotiations can be completed in one year”.
The target is to more than double the bilateral trade to US$200 billion in the next four years. The PM added that the agreement would be instrumental “to increase economic opportunities, creation of jobs and wealth.”
President of EC Jose Manuel Barroso underscored the importance of concluding the FTA that would help sustain the global economic recovery. There are signs of global rebound but they will require a push from cross-border trade. “The agreement in trade is important for sustaining this recovery,” Barroso said.
Joint Statement
The Joint Statement issued at the end of the 10th summit touched upon multilateral systems, international financial crisis, global economy, climate change and energy. Both India and the EU underlined climate change as one of the most important global challenges and reaffirmed the provisions and principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It referred to the common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and underscored its full, effective and sustained implementation. They recognised the scientific view that the increase in global average temperature above pre-industrial levels ought not to exceed 2 degrees Celsius. However, it acknowledged that this objective has to take into account the overriding priority of poverty eradication and social and economic development of developing countries. Both India and EU decided to achieve an ambitious and globally agreed equitable outcome at the Copenhagen summit based on the principles of UNFCCC and the Bali Action Plan.
They agreed that, in the fight against climate change, equal priority had to be given to mitigation and adaptation and recognised the critical role of enabling financial and technological support to developing countries in this regard. They expressed hope that a global curbs in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 as compared to 1990 levels, would be reached at Copenhagen.
The leaders welcomed the launch of the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC) in May 2009 at the G8+5 Energy Ministerial Meeting in Rome and looked forward to a closer EU-India cooperation in the framework of IPEEC. They also welcomed the establishment of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to which both parties would join for a rapid transition towards the widespread and sustainable use of renewable energy worldwide.
Financial Crisis
The leaders addressed the current international financial and economic crisis and its severe impact on the world’s economy. They reiterated their commitment to the decisions taken at the London and Pittsburgh G20 Summits to continue with a strong policy response until a reasonable recovery is secured. The Summit called for prepare internationally coordinated and cooperative exit strategies after the recovery takes hold and hasten reforms in financial regulatory and supervisory systems to ensure global stability and pre-empt future crises. Both sides underlined the importance of financial services reforms implemented in India and agreed to develop a deeper dialogue on financial services.
Food Security
Both India and the EU recognized eradication of poverty and food insecurity as gravest challenges. They recognized that the food crisis, which peaked during mid-2008, remains a threat as the financial and economic crisis and commodity price fluctuations. The EU and India will work closely together to enhance food security and fulfil the objectives of the Global Action Against Hunger and Poverty to promote increased investments in agriculture, rural development and food security. Hailing the work being done in FAO as well as UN HLTF on this matter, it looked forward to the World Summit on Food Security in Rome from 16th-18th November 2009.
Human Rights
Both the EU and India are committed to respecting, protecting and promoting human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. So it decided to reinforce cooperation within the UN Human Rights Council and there should be no impunity for the perpetrators of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. On the issue of terrorism, both India and the EU took a joint stand in combating the challenge of terrorism as a threat to international peace and security. The leaders condemned terrorism in all forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purpose.
The EU and India took the view that the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism should become a vital law enforcement instrument in joint counter-terrorism efforts. India and the EU attach great importance to counter-terrorism cooperation in the framework of the United Nations, and share a commitment to universal ratification and full implementation of all UN counter-terrorism conventions and related protocols, as well as supporting the work of the Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF).
Disarmament
India and the EU welcomed the renewed momentum in global disarmament efforts. The EU reaffirmed their shared interest in working together for disarmament and countering proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. In this context, they stressed the importance of strengthening national export control laws. India and the EU have supported the adoption of a programme of work for its 2009 session by the Conference on Disarmament including the negotiation of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty. They looked forward to the early commencement of substantive work, including negotiations, at the next CD session. India and the EU share the understanding that the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes should take place in conformity with the highest standards of safety, security, and non-proliferation.
Significance
Commenting on the significance of the Summit, Manuel Barroso said, “In the past decade, the EU and India have evolved to become key actors on the world stage. The dynamic strategic partnership we have forged over the years is a sign of strong commitment and mutual understanding to contribute together to global solutions to global challenges, from peace, security and development aid to the fight against climate change. By agreeing a position on climate finance in Brussels, the EU is signalling that we are ready to help if developing countries and, in particular, emerging economies like India can deliver.”
Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner added, “Both climate change and energy figured prominently in the summit. Our joint efforts towards a low carbon economy will be translated into concrete actions in fields of energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean coal technology. As long-standing partners, our cooperation has come to fruition in many other key sectors, such as space technology, industrial policy, agriculture, basic education and academic exchanges, which are equally important to consolidate our relationships.”
Commissioner Ashton stated, “The EU and India are two of the world’s major trading partners and we need to get our trade relations right to ensure our economies prosper and protect the vulnerable during these uncertain times. Our joint commitment to ensure the Doha development round is a success for all and gives new impetus for a broad-based bilateral trade and investment agreement”.
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Belgian PM Mr. Rompuy is new EU President
Ms. Catherine Ashton is new Foreign Affairs Chief
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EU leaders have chosen the Belgian Prime Minister, Mr. Herman van Rompuy as the first permanent European Council President. EU Trade Commissioner, Baroness Catherine Ashton from the UK has been selected for the post of Foreign Affairs chief.
The EU leaders on 19 November met in Brussels to select their first full-time president and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs- new posts created by the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force on 1st December 2009.
The idea under Lisbon is to give the EU more coherence and continuity in key policy areas. So far the presidency has been held by member states in turn, on a six-month rotation.
The new incumbents are acclaimed consensual politicians and had the unanimous backing from all the 27 EU leaders.
Mr. Van Rompuy, 62, has a reputation as a coalition builder, having taken charge of the linguistically divided Belgian government and steered it out of a crisis. “Every country should emerge victorious from negotiations,” Rompuy told a news conference after his appointment. “Even if unity remains our strength, our diversity remains our wealth,” he said, stressing the individuality of EU member states.
Baroness Catherine Ashton, 53, said she felt “deeply privileged” to get the foreign affairs post. “I was the first woman British commissioner, the first woman trade commissioner, so I am also proud to be the first woman High Representative,” she said.
The EU president will chair regular meetings of the European Council at which decisions are taken about the political position of the bloc. The foreign policy chief will have a seat as vice-president of the European Commission, as well as a budget worth billions of euros and a new diplomatic service of up to 5,000 people. |
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Czech Republic Signs Lisbon Treaty |
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With the president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus signing the EU’s Lisbon Treaty on 3 November 2009, the last hurdle in the charter’s ratification has been overcome. The treaty was drawn up to streamline decision-making in the EU, and is a diluted version of a draft EU constitution rejected four years ago. The ratified charter now creates a European Council president and alters the way member states vote. The treaty could now come into force as early as December.
Speaking in Washington ahead of an EU-US Summit, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso welcomed the removal of the ‘last hurdle’ to the treaty’s passage. The Czech Republic was the last of the EU’s 27 member states to ratify the treaty. Mr. Klaus signed it shortly after the Czech constitutional court rejected a complaint against it, ruling that it was perfectly in line with the Czech constitution. Announcing that he had signed the treaty, the Czech leader accused the court of bias and said the Czech Republic would “cease to be a sovereign state”.
The Eurosceptic Mr. Klaus had made clear that he would no longer attempt to block the treaty after extracting the promise of an opt-out clause from the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights. Klaus said the opt-out was needed to avoid property claims from ethnic Germans expelled from Czechoslovakia after World War II. The Lisbon Treaty replaced an earlier draft constitution that was rejected in referendums in France and the Netherlands in 2005.
The Lisbon Treaty’s supporters say it will allow the EU to operate more efficiently and give it wider influence in world affairs. Critics say it will cede too many national powers to Brussels.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed the ratification, and said it marked the end of years of debate. “Today is a day when Europe looks forward,” he said.
Diplomats say the treaty will give the EU a stronger voice in the world and create two major new posts: a new European Council president who would serve a term of two-and-a-half years, and a new foreign policy chief whose role would combine those of the existing foreign affairs representative and external affairs commissioner.
Exit Option
In addition, the treaty will alter voting procedures, with national vetoes to become the exception rather than the rule in most policy areas. For the first time, the treaty will offer a way out to any member states that decide to leave the EU. |
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