3 EU delegations to visit New Delhi, Bengaluru next week

Team Udayavani, Feb 18, 2017, 12:48 PM IST

New Delhi/Bengaluru: Three parliamentary delegations from European Union will visit India next week with an aim to push for expansion of overall ties including removal of hurdles in finalising the long-pending EU-India free trade agreement. 

The delegations to visit India are European Parliament’s committee on foreign affairs, committee on internal market and consumer protection and delegation for relations with India.

The delegations will include some of the key members of the EU parliament and total number of members would be over 20, EU sources said here. 

This is the first-ever joint visit of the members of the European Parliament in India and the biggest organised so far, comprising members from diverse background, nationality, political parties, they said. 

EU is one of India’s leading trade partner and the two-way commerce in goods between India and the EU was INR 6,599.19 billion in 2014-15. 

The talks for the EU-India trade pact have been stalled since May, 2013, when both sides failed to bridge substantial gaps on crucial issues, including data security status for IT sector. 

Sources said the issue of trade pact will figure in the talks. 

The delegation for relations with India includes Geoffrey Van Orden, Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with India. 

European Parliament Delegation for Relations with India will be visiting Delhi and Bangalore from February 20-23. 

In their meetings with Indian leaders, the delegation is likely to push for finalsing the EU-India Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) as soon as possible. 

During their visits, they would be meeting various leaders and representatives of the Indian government, industry, as well as think tanks in Delhi as well as in Bengaluru, sources said. 

The delegations are expected to meet senior functionaries in the External Affairs, Commerce & Industry, Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines ministries among others, besides Speaker of the Lok Sabha and some members of the Parliament. 

While the delegation for relations with India visits India periodically, this is its first visit under the leadership of its new chair, David McAllister, elected to his new role in January 2017. 

The last visit of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection to India was 7 years ago. 

The delegation Committee on Foreign Affairs will focus on EU-India relations, including strengthening cooperation on issues of mutual interests and concerns, such as peace, security, and multilateral cooperation. 

They will also focus on issues relating to regional security, counter-terrorism, fight against piracy, cyber-security and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 

The European Parliament Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection will be visiting Mumbai and New Delhi from February 21-23. 

In their talks with Indian leaders, they will focus on issues relating to standardisation, customs and consumer protection.