India, EU to conclude 'N' pact, discuss FTA at Nov 6 Summit

New Delhi, Nov 4 : India and the European Union (EU) will conclude an agreement for cooperation in civil nuclear energy and will hold further talks on a 'comprehensive' Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at the 10th India-EU Summit being held here on November 6.

The two sides will also hold detailed discussions on cooperation in trade and investment and issues related to counter-terrorism and climate change leading to the Copenhagen Summit.

Sweden's Ambassador to India, Lars-Olof Lindgren, and Head of the Delegation of the European Commission, Ms Danièle Smadja, said at a joint press conference here that the agreement on atomic energy in the field of fusion research will be signed to facilitate India's participation in the International Thermo-nuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).

''FTA will be definitely high on agenda (of the Summit talks)...We are aiming at the agreement which is much more comprehensive and bigger in scope...we are aiming at covering main issues like IPR, procurement and not just trade,'' Ms Smadja said.

Admitting that the negotiations were difficult, she said there had to be ''give and take'' and political leaders would give the direction for further momentum.

The EU trade representative and India's Commerce Minister Anand Sharma would meet on the margins of the Summit to carry on the discussions.

''We have to jump now into the cold water of give and take,'' she said but asserted that ''good progress'' was being made.

Asked what were the EU concerns on the issue, she said child labour was one such area which should be addressed.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
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