EP - Parliament supports closer EU-India relationship

Emilio MENÉNDEZ del VALLE (PES, ES)
Report with a proposal for a European Parliament recommendation to the Council on EU-India Relations
(2004/2195(INI))
Doc.: A6-0024/2004
Procedure : Own-initiative
Vote : 28.10.2004


Ahead of the 5th EU-India summit on 8 November, the European Parliament is recommending that the Council upgrades the EU-India relationship to a "Strategic Partnership." MEPs are calling for the Union to develop an alliance with India for the promotion of peace, security, human rights and democracy. In a report, drawn up by Emilio MENÉNDEZ del VALLE (PES, ES)and adopted by a clear majority, Parliament also makes a series of specific recommendations to the Council.

MEPs call for a continued strong trade relationship with India. On security matters, they call for strengthened cooperation on "conflict prevention and post-conflict economic reconstruction and rehabilitation." Global concerns such as non-proliferation and disarmament, terrorism and organised crime also need to be addressed. MEPs propose expanding the mandate of the EU-India Joint Working Group on Anti-Terrorism to cover security co-operation as a whole, "focussing also on money laundering, cyber-terrorism and narco-terrorism." They also support India's application for "privileged country status" with EUROPOL. MEPs stress that cooperation in the field of security policy is "all the more urgent since the US has decided to start exporting nuclear and other advanced technology to India again for the first time since 1998." Regarding the Kashmir issue, Parliament welcomes the dialogue between India and Pakistan and hopes it will have a fruitful conclusion.

On other issues, MEPs call on the EU, with its significant experience of regional integration, to promote regional cooperation in South East Asia. They call for dialogue with India on "cross-cutting issues such as good governance, environment, industrial policy, competition issues, defence equipment, and strategic sectors such as the information society, transport, energy, biotechnology and co-operation on space-related matters."

In the light of institutional reform at the UN, Parliament supports the continuing dialogue and calls for the coordination of positions in the preparation, negotiation and implementation of major multilateral conventions in the UN.

Finally, MEPs call for the enhancement of civil society contacts and cultural relations, specifically through the establishment of an EU-India Centre for Indian Studies.

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