[{"bbox": [79, 104, 1150, 212], "category": "Text", "text": "(MNRE), the Ministry of Power (MoP), the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and state governments together identifying priorities where joint actions and policy support from the EU can be relevant. The key deliverables of the CECP in its first phase have included:"}, {"bbox": [117, 212, 775, 238], "category": "List-item", "text": "- Smart-grid application collaborations with India Smart Grid Forum."}, {"bbox": [117, 238, 1047, 266], "category": "List-item", "text": "- Supporting Energy Efficiency Building codes in India together with Bureau of Energy Efficiency."}, {"bbox": [117, 265, 801, 291], "category": "List-item", "text": "- Creating the Financing Investment in Clean Energy Platform (FICEP)."}, {"bbox": [117, 292, 511, 319], "category": "List-item", "text": "- Support to the EU-India Energy Panel."}, {"bbox": [79, 344, 1150, 690], "category": "Text", "text": "As regards the launch of **FTA, IPA and GI negotiations**, we have seen from our experience that the negotiations may take much longer than anticipated. As such addressing some of the key trade barriers that affect EU-India trade would send a positive signal to EU stakeholders. The sectoral studies/ policy briefs will be key in this regard in addressing the key trade irritants as well as for feeding into the trade and investment negotiations. For the establishment of an EU Chamber of Commerce, existing EU business bodies have only partially succeeded in servicing the member companies. They have engaged in extremely modest policy advocacy. Their outreach among EU companies as well as among government stakeholders remains limited in comparison to the US or even the UK. The modest performance and consequently low recognition amongst the policy makers results in low membership and financial concerns. Furthermore, much of the activities of these entities are focused on the organisation of events/roundtables with questionable results/impact, rather than a focus on the core function of policy advocacy, underpinned by regular publication of policy papers and recommendations that demonstrate expertise on the market access concerns/issues. This is a critical service that is missing in the Indian landscape. Furthermore this assessment is also shared by EU MS on ground in Delhi and confirmed in recent EU Heads of Mission meetings."}, {"bbox": [79, 714, 1150, 875], "category": "Text", "text": "In addition, EU supported actions focusing on establishing such an **EU level Chamber of Commerce**, i.e. the setting of the European Business and Technology Centre in 2008, supported by the European Parliament under EU's Preparatory Action, was not able to meet the envisaged objectives of strengthening EU level policy advocacy in India. It was learnt that an EU-level Chamber should be industry driven and steered by EU businesses rather than the EU itself. Building on the lessons learnt from this action, it is now proposed to push for an industry driven Chambers, which will support EU priorities in India, notably to enhance EU-India trade relations."}, {"bbox": [79, 898, 1150, 1270], "category": "Text", "text": "With regard to **Innovation and Digitalisation**, in preparation of an EU-India High level Digital Invest Forum, a Roundtable was organised on 23 July 2021, bringing policymakers, incubators, start-ups, investors, corporates, SMEs, and organisations together aiming at building bridges between India and the EU for digital investment. The main objective of this event was to stimulate a dialogue among key stakeholders on investment climate, challenges, and opportunities to collect analytical elements and suggestions helpful to boost business and investment growth driven by digital transformation. The scope of discussion encompassed elements of market access and investment (tools and resources, market and opportunities knowledge, investigation and prospective, support, facilitation schemes, collaboration, partnership and co-creation, regulatory framework, infrastructure, skills, access to finance, upscaling possibilities, transparency, predictability, security, privacy, human and financial mobility, etc.) specific to the digital universe. Some of the key recommendations were: (i) Support connecting the European and Indian innovation ecosystem, by targeting SMEs and start-ups, to co-create and co-develop in view of finding innovative and technology-driven solutions to connectivity challenges. (ii) Encourage private sector cooperation between both sides through EU and Indian business networks for enabling private investment and developing global and regional value chains; (iii) Connect the Unconnected; EU-India should collaborate to scale digital literacy."}, {"bbox": [79, 1295, 1150, 1588], "category": "Text", "text": "From April 2018 to end 2020, a successful pilot initiative called 'Europe-India Innovation Partnership (EIIP)' was conducted with budget support from DG RTD, aiming at fostering the innovation dimension of the EU-India partnership on research and innovation. The Platform allowed for a much better understanding of each other's innovation ecosystems through matchmaking between key incubators from Europe and India. The Platform also allowed for connecting directly start-ups to corporates and investors and offering a platform to share opportunities and difficulties in penetrating new international markets. At the end of the 30 months pilot project, several corporates welcomed possibility to find partners through the Platform (taking advantage of some pre-selection done through prior matchmaking) but the time was too short to make it happen or at least support that connection. All stakeholders also underlined importance to get support in navigating through the Indian market (notably on IPR) and find partners. This new action could take his up by connection European and Indian innovators to other existing EU support actions (IPR Helpdesk for India; EEN; Horizon Europe programme)."}, {"bbox": [1040, 1663, 1158, 1687], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 13 of 22"}]