HomeIndiaJoint Statement by India and European Union on the 12th India-EU Summit

Joint Statement by India and European Union on the 12th India-EU Summit

  • The 12th India-EU Summit was held in New Delhi on 10 February 2012. The Republic of India was represented by the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. EU was represented by Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, and Mr. José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission.
  • The leaders expressed satisfaction at the deepening comprehensive bilateral relations. India and EU, as long-standing strategic partners, are committed to working together with a balanced and result-oriented approach, bearing in mind each sides’ respective development priorities, based on common shared values, relating to democracy, rule of law, civil liberties, fundamental freedoms and respect for human rights.
  • Both sides discussed bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual concern with a view to, inter alia, strengthen their multifaceted bilateral cooperation, coordinate responses to regional issues, and tackle international challenges including the current financial crisis.

    Bilateral Issues

  • Leaders expressed satisfaction that since the last India-EU Summit in December 2010, negotiations on the India-EU Broad based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) have intensified with substantial progress achieved across the board on different areas. Both sides have engaged intensively to find solutions for outstanding issues which are mutually acceptable. Negotiations on an ambitious and balanced package are now close to completion which is expected to provide a new thrust to bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation. This is especially significant in the context of the current economic climate so as to provide a new impetus to growth. Commerce, Industry and Textile Minister, Shri Anand Sharma and European Trade Commissioner, Mr. Karel De Gucht would monitor the progress of these negotiations for an early conclusion.
  • Underlining the importance of dialogue and cooperation between their respective business communities, leaders welcomed the business summit held on the margins of the summit and agreed to continue working towards an improved business climate including facilitating the exchange of information on opportunities for further collaboration.
  • Leaders took note of the India-EU Ministerial Meeting of 16 January 2012 and the decision to hold Foreign Policy Consultations on an annual basis in order to strengthen political dialogue.
  • Leaders welcomed the holding of the India-EU Security Dialogue in New Delhi in May 2011 India and the EU and reiterated their desire to maintain and expand cooperation in the field of security.
  • Recalling their Joint Declaration on International Terrorism, adopted at the previous Summit in December 2010, leaders welcomed the holding of the India-EU Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism in New Delhi in January 2012. India and the EU condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirmed their united stance in combating threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts wherever they may take place. Noting the progress made on implementing the Joint Declaration, leaders welcomed the identification, by their experts, of areas of future collaboration in this respect.
  • Both sides recognized the importance of the activities of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee [CTC] (of which India is the Chair) and concluding negotiations on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism [CCIT], at the earliest; and they agreed to the need of ensuring that the international financial system is made secure from the threats of money laundering and financing of terror.
  • Leaders welcomed the discussions held in New Delhi on 16 December 2011 between India and EU at expert level aimed at enhancing cooperation on anti piracy efforts and their decision to have such exchanges on a regular basis. They noted in particular that their experts had agreed in principle to cooperate in the escorting of WFP shipments, to enhance the regulation of privately contracted armed security guards in the context of the International Maritime Organisation, and to share piracy related information in a systematic manner with the aim of, inter alia, improving the situation of hostages and tackling the illegal financial flows linked to piracy off the coast of Somalia.
  • Leaders also expressed satisfaction with bilateral consultations on Cyber security and Cybercrime as a result of which some concrete areas for mutual cooperation were identified. They called for continuation of these consultations stressing the importance of further dialogue.
  • Considering the high level of importance that both sides attach to bilateral cooperation in the sphere of energy, the leaders welcomed their Joint Declaration on Enhanced Cooperation in Energy. They looked forward to an expeditious finalisation of the Joint Report on the Results of the India-EU Joint Work Programme on Energy, Clean Development and Climate Change and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in these areas.
  • India and EU welcomed the discussion held in November 2011 on ICT and recognised the importance of further dialogue on cooperation in this sector.
  • Leaders reiterated their respective positions on the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading System and noted the strong divergence of views. Both sides agreed on the need to urgently resolve the issue.
  • Recognising the mutually beneficial cooperation on science and technology and the potential of strengthening it, the leaders welcomed the signing of the Joint Declaration on Research and Innovation Cooperation with the aim of enhancing the scale, scope and impact of cooperation and building an “Indo-European research and innovation partnership”, with a focus on common societal challenges and enhanced synergies between India, the EU and its Member States.
  • Leaders acknowledged active cooperation pursued by Space Agencies and Industries of both sides in various fields of space science, technology and applications. Both leaders expressed satisfaction on the progress in finalizing ISRO-ESA Agreement for cooperation on Earth Observation and Climate Change. They reaffirmed their commitment to finalization of the Agreement on Satellite Navigation and related Technical Agreement on the use of the frequency spectrum.
  • Leaders called for progress and finalisation of an agreement between India and the European Atomic Energy Community for R & D cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
  • India and EU reiterated the importance they attach to encouraging people-to-people contacts and human exchanges and reaffirmed their determination to co-operate closely in the field of migration within the framework of the India-EU Joint Statement of 10 December 2010 and in the context of the India-EU High Level Dialogue on Migration.
  • Leaders welcomed the ongoing cooperation in the field of vocational training and noted the potential for further enhancing cooperation in this area.20. India and EU called for appropriate steps to enable the entry into force of the Horizontal Civil Aviation Agreement.
  • EU took note of the difficulties being faced by some Sikh passengers while travelling through European airports, due to the turbans they wear. Leaders acknowledged the need for effective aviation security measures and discussed the ongoing development of new technologies and methods of addressing security taking into account the dignity of the individuals involved.
  • Leaders welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Statistics.

    Regional Issues

  • Leaders reiterated their commitment to assisting Afghanistan to become a stable, democratic nation free of terrorism and extremism. As NATO/ISAF prepares to complete the ongoing transition and Afghan authorities assume full security responsibility for the country by the end of 2014, leaders welcomed the long-term commitment of the international community to Afghanistan in the Transformation Decade from 2015 to 2024 reiterated in the recent conference in Bonn. Both sides acknowledged that Afghanistan needs time, development assistance, preferential access to world markets, foreign investment and a clear end-state and strategy to attain lasting peace and stability. Both sides underlined the need for more effective regional cooperation for the stabilisation of Afghanistan, including by preventing terrorists from finding refuge across Afghanistan’s borders. Leaders welcomed the Istanbul process on regional security and cooperation for a secure and stable Afghanistan.
  • Leaders stressed that a stable and democratic Pakistan is in the interest of the entire region. They agreed that terrorism and violent extremism represent serious threats to international peace and security and on the importance of Pakistan’s cooperation with countries in the region to eliminate terrorism and dismantle terrorist networks.
  • The leaders recalled their view that terrorism cannot be justified on any grounds and stressed that perpetrators of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks should be brought to justice expeditiously.
  • Leaders acknowledged the significant progress in the reform process in Myanmar. They encouraged the process to continue and urged the international community to step up its engagement with Myanmar.
  • India and EU exchanged views on regional integration. They recognized that closer cooperation among the countries of South Asia is crucial for the development of that region, and in this context, agreed to continue consultation and cooperation between SAARC and the EU.
  • Leaders discussed events in the Arab world, voicing support for the democratic aspirations of the populations aimed at deepening democratic governance. They also discussed the Middle East Peace Process and called on the parties to engage actively in accordance with relevant UNSC resolutions and along the lines of the Arab Peace Plan and the Quartet Statement adopted in New York on 23 September 2011. Leaders expressed great concern about the situation in Syria and reiterated their support for the efforts by UNSC and the League of Arab States.

    Global issues

  • Leaders exchanged views on the state of their respective economies and expressed their concern on the international economic situation. In this context, both sides reaffirmed their commitment, as had been agreed to at the Cannes Summit held in November 2011, to ensure that the IMF continues to have sufficient resources to play its systemic role to the benefit of its whole membership. Leaders also recognized the need to ensure effective reform of financial and commodity markets as agreed at the Cannes Summit and for an appropriate transition towards an international monetary system which better reflects the increased weight of emerging market economies.
  • Leaders underlined the importance of international trade to the recovery of the international economy and reaffirmed their commitment to the Doha Development Agenda and to combating protectionism.
  • Leaders looked forward to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (RIO+20) for a renewed political commitment to Sustainable Development based on the Rio Principles to advance progress in the implementation of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, Agenda 21, the Programme for the further Implementation of Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. They welcomed the hosting of the Conference by Brazil on 20-22 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro and pledged to extend all support to make it a success. Leaders agreed that green economy should be seen as a means to achieving the overriding priorities of sustainable development and poverty eradication and emphasized that Sustainable Development should be approached through a balanced integration of economic, social and environmental pillars.
  • Leaders reaffirmed that poverty eradication should remain the central focus of the global development agenda, called for a redoubling of efforts to push for maximum achievement of MDGs by 2015 and reaffirmed that inclusive and equitable global growth is fundamental in ensuring the attainment of the MDGs, particularly poverty reduction, and this would require continued focus on these goals even beyond 2015.
  • Leaders reaffirmed the importance of the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and of strengthening global efforts towards preventing biopiracy and preserving genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with their use. They committed their full support and pledged to cooperate closely for the success of the 11th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD-COP11) to be held in Hyderabad, India in 2012. In this connection India and the EU agreed to actively work towards the early entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation (ABS).
  • Leaders discussed the outcome of the Climate Change Conference held in Durban, South Africa in December 2011, and called for continued dialogue between both sides with a view to enhancing cooperation on bilateral and international issues relating to Climate Change in accordance with the objectives, principles and provisions of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
  • India and EU reaffirmed their commitment to global and non-discriminatory disarmament and to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. They pledged closer cooperation aimed at providing a robust nuclear non-proliferation regime and supported a prompt commencement of negotiations on Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty in the Conference on Disarmament.
  • The parties reaffirmed their commitment to diplomacy to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue and expressed the need for Iran to take constructive and immediate steps to meet its obligations to the IAEA and the UN Security Council. Parties welcomed efforts by the EU High Representative, on behalf of the E3+3, aimed at engaging Iran into meaningful talks.

New Delhi
10 February 2012

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