President Juncker at the EU-India Summit

Source: European Commission (EC) i, published on Friday, October 6 2017.

EU-India Summit reviews progress in many areas of the bilateral relationship and agrees to timely relaunch talks

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker i attended the 14th Summit between the European Union and India in New Delhi, marking 55 years of diplomatic relations between the world's two largest democracies.

The Summit provided an opportunity for leaders to take stock of EU-India cooperation across the full spectrum of cooperation, including tackling global challenges, the economic relationship, and sectoral cooperation.

A number of substantial, concrete deliverables were agreed by the leaders at the Summit, and are detailed in a Joint Summit Statement. Joint statements on combatting terrorism; on clean energy and climate change; and on smart and sustainable urbanisation were also adopted.

President Juncker said after the Summit: "We agreed that we should take our trading relationship to the next level. It is high time for a Free Trade Agreement between India and the EU. Once the circumstances are right - and only once the circumstances are right - we will resume. Today's Summit is an important step in the right direction and after hearing Prime Minister Modi I am confident we can move forward. Our chief negotiators will next sit down in November to chart a way forward."

On Trade and investment, leaders expressed their shared commitment to strengthening the economic partnership between the EU and India and to achieving the full potential of this aspect of our relationship. There are efforts on both sides to re-engage actively towards a timely relaunch of the negotiations for a comprehensive and mutually-beneficial Free Trade Agreement. The leaders also reaffirmed the centrality of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the importance of enhancing free, fair and open trade for achieving sustainable growth and development. Summit leaders welcomed the recent launch of the Investment Facilitation Mechanism for EU investments in India, which will facilitate and encourage EU investments by providing concrete on-the-spot support to EU companies intending to invest there, in particular by providing procedural guidance.

On Energy and Climate Change, leaders demonstrated their shared responsibility and determination to take the lead in global efforts to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. Both sides confirmed their commitments under the Paris Agreement and agreed to step up cooperation in the implementation of climate action commitments, green cooling, solar pumping, energy storage, electric mobility and renewables, in order to enhance implementation of the Agreement.

The Joint Declaration on a Partnership for Smart and Sustainable Urbanisation adopted at the Summit sets out the priorities and objectives for enhanced cooperation between both sides in urban development over the years ahead. The Partnership will create new opportunities for cooperation between our respective local and regional authorities. It will build on the experience of the Urban Agenda for the EU and India's flagship Smart Cities Mission programme.

The Joint Statement on combatting terrorism marks another step up in the common fight against terrorism. Considerable progress has been made in recent months, including through the regular counter-terrorism dialogue, and the joint statement aims to enhance cooperation in the prevention and countering of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation, the disruption of the recruitment of Foreign Terrorist Fighters, sources of terrorist financing, and the supply of arms to terrorists.

Leaders also expressed their shared commitment to strengthen cooperation on migration and refugees, including under the United Nations process towards adopting Global Compacts for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and on Refugees. Both sides agreed to further enhance joint efforts towards the implementation of the EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility.

After the Summit, President Juncker delivered the keynote speech at the EU-India Business Forum. President Juncker said: "I am more convinced than ever that India and the European Union, beacons of democracy and tolerance, must shape the world together.[…] We are ready to help India achieve its ambitions, and we are counting on India that India will reach its ambitions. The benefits will be mutual. The opportunity should be seized."

Related links

14th EU-India Summit website

Joint Statement of the 14th India-EU Summit

Joint Statement on Clean Energy and Climate Change

Joint Statement on cooperation in combatting terrorism

Joint Declaration on a Partnership for Smart and Sustainable Urbanisation

Remarks by President Juncker at the Joint Press Conference following the 14th EU-India Summit

Factsheet on EU-India Relations

EU-India Trade Relations

Website of the EU Delegation to India

Keynote address by President Jean-Claude Juncker at the EU-India Business Forum