The Hindu Business Line : India, EU to begin early talks on maritime, civil aviation pacts

It was agreed to hold a meeting for exchange of information on the policies for public-private partnership and pubic procurement in the first part of 2006.

New Delhi , Oct. 26

INDIA and the European Union have resolved to begin early discussions on a proposed India-EC (European Commission) maritime agreement and a horizontal civil aviation agreement.

Winding up the two-day India-EU Joint Commission meeting here on Wednesday, both sides agreed that the high-level trade group would meet shortly to hold discussions on trade and economic cooperation. The two sides also agreed to finalise the terms of reference of the four new working groups (on food processing, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, sanitary and phyto-sanitary technical barriers to trade, and agriculture and marine products.

They would hold the first meeting by the first quarter of 2006. The Joint Commission also felt that a small team of officers on either side would review activities under the Joint Action Plan.

They noted that the EC experts would participate in a seminar on geographic indications being held in New Delhi next month. It was agreed to hold a meeting for exchange of information on the policies for public-private partnership and pubic procurement early in 2006.

A meeting of the expert group on trade defence instruments will be held in the first quarter of 2006. It was also agreed to have expert-level consultation in the services sector to identify priority areas and discuss the framework for further action.

The second meeting of the Joint Customs Cooperation Committee would be held in the spring of 2006, which will be preceded by a meeting to finalise the work programme in January 2006. The Joint Commission hoped that the business chambers on either side would work together to set up the CEOs' roundtable.

The Joint Commission meeting was held under the Chairmanship of the Commerce Secretary, Mr S. N. Menon, and the Deputy Director-General of External Relations, European Commission, Mr Herve Jouanjean, an official release said here.

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