(a) whether India intends to attend the India-EU trade meet to be held in December, 2010, in Brussels;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the issues identified to be discussed in the said meeting; and
(d) the details regarding India`s stand on non-trade issues and public procurement and response
from EU in this regard?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI ANAND SHARMA)
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 468
FOR ANSWER ON 13TH DECEMBER 2010 REGARDING “INDIA-EU TRADE MEETâ€
(a) to (d): There is no India EU trade meet scheduled in December, 2010 in Brussels. However, the India EU
Summit was convened in Brussels on December 10, 2010, which inter alia discussed a range of bilateral issues
including trade. The state of bilateral trade relations in general and the state of play and roadmap ahead
in the ongoing India EU Broadbased Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) negotiations was reviewed.
India’s position on all non trade issues like labour standards, environment standards, animal welfare
etc.,is widely known. India is clear that non-trade issues ought not to be part of a trade deal. There
are specific international and multilateral bodies to take stock and advance all non-trade issues and
India is a responsible member of all such bodies.
Insofar as public procurement is concerned, again our position is well articulated. India became an observer
of the Plurilateral Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) in 2010. It is not a member of the GPA and has
not taken on market access commitments. India however has a transparent GP regime. BTIA Negotiations are
ongoing and it would be prejudicial to India’s interest to reveal intricate details of positions in individual
tracks including Government Procurement.