Shared desire to extend cooperation to all areas

Brussels, 10/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - The EU-India summit closed in Brussels on Friday 10 December with the adoption of a joint statement in which the leaders of both parties pledged to “reinforce the strategic partnership in all areas”. India was represented by its prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the EU by Herman Van Rompuy, José Manuel Barroso and Catherine Ashton. The intention is to enhance cooperation in those areas where it already exists and to extend it to new sectors not yet covered, European Council President Van Rompuy told press after the summit. Thus, on Friday, the EU and India “opened a new chapter of political cooperation” in defence and security, said Van Rompuy. A statement on international terrorism was adopted (available at http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/118405.pdf ). A dialogue on culture was also launched on Friday and a joint statement adopted.

In trade, it was agreed to inject “new momentum” into negotiations on the Bilateral Investment and Trade Agreement (BITA) with the aim of concluding talks in spring 2011, he went on. The new EU-India free trade area will create a market of one and a half billion consumers, said Commission President José Manuel Barroso. The parties agreed, too, to increase cooperation on improving energy security and efficiency, and on developing renewable energy. They pledged to work together to be able to conclude, “as soon as possible”, an ambitious, comprehensive and balanced agreement on tackling climate change for the period after 2012 based on the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. International issues were also discussed. The EU and India restated their interest in Afghanistan becoming a “stable, peaceful country free from terrorism”, in which the Afghan authorities assume “further responsibility and ownership in security, governance and development”. The two sides also voiced their “shared hope” that Pakistan recover swiftly from the effects of the recent floods, and emphasised that a democratic and prosperous Pakistan was “in the interest of the whole region”.