Lisbon: A New Treaty for Europe

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1 Vol 9 NO 6 DEC JAN.2010 NEWSLETTER OF THE DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO INDIA Lisbon: A New Treaty for Europe The Treaty of Lisbon, amending and updating the earlier treaties of the European Union, entered into force on the 1st of December At a late-night ceremony lit up by fireworks in the Portuguese capital, President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso remarked that the Treaty signalled a new stage in an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe. In this issue The Copenhagen Accord Innovation: the EU and India look to Combine Forces Promoting Human Rights in India: the EU launches a Call for Proposals Reaching For The Skies EU-India Workshop Explores Synergies in Research Infrastructures The EU Supports Nine New Projects in Vocational Education and Training India EU Study Centres Inaugurated The Humanitarian Cost of Climate Change: EU Support for Indian Villages to Prepare for Natural Calamities With the Lisbon Treaty the European Union now has a more democratic structure, greater efficiency in decision making, and hopefully a stronger voice in world affairs. Specific measures in each of these areas give an indication of the purpose and method by which these objectives will be met. Democratic governance The role of the directly elected European Parliament (EP) of 751 members has been enhanced by the extension of the so-called co-decision procedure (where policy measures are decided jointly by the Council of Ministers representing the member States and the EP) to areas such as agriculture, energy and international trade agreements. National parliaments, on the other hand, have been provided with a consultative mechanism to ensure that the Union takes up only those issues which are best dealt with at the European level. This principle, known as subsidiarity, will be better enforced as a consequence. One million or more European citizens can collectively request the European Commission to make proposals for legislation. Citizens are thus given a direct voice in promoting European integration. Better and quicker decision making Beginning November 2014, a system of Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) in the Council of Ministers will apply to most decisions. The approval of 55% of the Member States (15 out of 27) representing at least 65% of the population of the Union will be enough in cases including climate change and energy security to pass a proposal into law. In other cases, most notably in external relations, security, taxation and social security, the principle of unanimity will continue to hold. Coherence in External Policy and Action Together with the appointment of the President of the European Council, Mr Herman van Rompuy, the EU has a High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy who is also a Vice President of the European Commission. This job combines the roles of the former Foreign Policy High Representative of the Council, External Relations Commissioner, and the President of the General and External Affairs Council which was earlier a position held by the rotating Presidency (a Member State) on a six-month basis. Baroness Catherine Ashton who was nominated to this new position by the European Council the EU meeting of Heads of State and Government is assisted by a new service, the European External Currency conversion 1=1.43 US$ 1=67.06 INR With the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1 December 2009, we are now the : Delegation of the European Union to India Kindly update your records.

2 Lisbon Treaty Re-organisation will give the EU a clearer and stronger voice in world affairs. Action Service (EEAS). By April she will present to the European Council her proposal for what will be the precursor of a full-fledged European diplomatic service. This service will include officials from relevant departments of the General Secretariat of the Council, the European Commission and diplomats from national foreign services of the Member States. The High Representative is responsible for conducting the Union s common foreign and security policy. As a Vice-President of the Commission she should also ensure the consistency of the Union s external actions. In doing so, she is combining her responsibilities within the Commission for external relations with the co-ordination of other aspects of the Union s external actions. Working in co-operation, diplomatic missions of the Member States and European Union Delegations to third countries and international organisations such as the United Nations are expected to contribute to the formulation and implementation of the Union s external actions. As a consequence of the Lisbon Treaty, EU Delegations in partner countries and at international organisations are representing the Union. The Delegation of the European Commission to India in New Delhi has become the Delegation of the European Union on 1st December The rotating Presidency in the field of external relations due to disappear worldwide during the course of 2010 has already done so in New Delhi on the 1st of January; and the EU Delegation has assumed all responsibility concerning representation, co-ordination and negotiation on behalf of the EU. Consolidation in organisational terms has been combined with a logical extension or consolidation of the Union s competence in policy areas: foreign direct investment has been included in trade policy, and has become a competence of the European Union. This reorganisation is supposed to give the EU a clearer and stronger voice in world affairs. With reforms in these key areas the European Union of 27 Member States is now better equipped institutionally to implement its mandate for a progressive Europe in a dynamic global environment. For more information on the Treaty of Lisbon please consult the following sites: The Copenhagen Accord: First Step Towards a Globally Binding Climate Agreement Connie Hedegaard, Denmark s Minister for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen and now Commissioner for Climate Action in the European Commission The United Nations Conference on Climate Change was held in Copenhagen at the end of 2009 and was attended by delegates from nearly all the world s countries over one hundred and thirty of them being Heads of Government. This conference also known as COP 15, or the fifteenth conference of parties signatory to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - was expected to deliver an agreement on a legally binding global agreement on carbon emissions reductions to keep the rise of global temperatures caused by the build up of greenhouse gases in the earth s atmosphere to under 2º C. Such an agreement is needed in view of what is almost universally recognised as the increasing disruptions to the earth s climate caused by rising average temperatures, increasing fluctuations, and the growing ferocity and unpredictability of climatic phenomena. It is widely believed that this trend unless checked will cause humanitarian catastrophes and economic reversals of severe magnitude. Rising sea levels, for example, are likely to inundate large and densely populated coastal areas. The Kyoto Protocol, which is the current regime with quantitative and binding targets for the Developed or Annex 1 countries, expires in Although the Summit was not able to establish a successor to Kyoto it led to the Copenhagen Accord, an agreement negotiated by 2 update n e w s l e t t e r o f t h e d e l e g a t i o n

3 Climate Change Summit some 30 countries and accepted by a majority of parties representing over 80% of global emissions. This Accord was marked by a number of innovations: the establishment of economy-wide reduction targets by the developed countries and listing of mitigation actions by developing countries; the acceptance of the 2 degree Celsius limit as representing the maximum extent to which global mean temperatures could be allowed to rise; substantial additional funding for developing countries in the short and medium terms for mitigation and adaptation support; and the establishment of a mechanism to accelerate technology co-operation. Successful implementation of these measures will be crucial in progressing towards the goal of concluding a legally binding treaty at the next Climate Conference in Mexico at the end of The then Commissioner for Environment, Stavros Dimas said: A lot of work still needs to be done. We must now ensure that the Copenhagen Accord becomes operational and as such constitutes the core of a new climate treaty. Regardless of what happens internationally, the EU will continue to implement its climate policy. As well as contributing to Europe s environmental sustainability, this will help the EU gain a first mover advantage on the road to building a low-carbon economy. Excerpts from the Copenhagen Accord we shall, recognizing the scientific view that the increase in global temperature should be below 2 degrees Celsius, on the basis of equity and in the context of sustainable development, enhance our long-term cooperative action to combat climate change.. we should cooperate in achieving the peaking of global and national emissions as soon as possible, recognizing that the time frame for peaking will be longer in developing countries and bearing in mind that social and economic development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities of developing countries and that a low-emission development strategy is indispensable to sustainable development We agree that developed countries shall provide adequate, predictable and sustainable financial resources, technology and capacity-building to support the implementation of adaptation action in developing countries Annex I Parties commit to implement individually or jointly the quantified economy-wide emissions targets for 2020, to be submitted in the format given in Appendix I by Annex I Parties to the secretariat by 31 January 2010 Non-Annex I Parties to the Convention will implement mitigation actions, including those to be submitted to the secretariat by non-annex I Parties in the format given in Appendix II by 31 January 2010 The collective commitment by developed countries is to provide new and additional resources, including forestry and investments through international institutions, approaching USD 30 billion for the period with balanced allocation between adaptation and mitigation..in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation, developed countries commit to a goal of mobilizing jointly USD 100 billion dollars a year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries In order to enhance action on development and transfer of technology we decide to establish a Technology Mechanism to accelerate technology development and transfer in support of action on adaptation and mitigation that will be guided by a country-driven approach and be based on national circumstances and priorities o f t h e e u r o p e a n U n i o n t o i n d i a 3 update

4 EU-India Co-operation in Innovation Discussions at the workshops enabled a better understanding of European and Indian innovation systems, capacities and public support policies and helped to identify areas of common interest. Innovation: the EU and India look to Combine Forces Innovation is a key driver for sustainable economic and social development and is playing an increasing role in addressing global challenges which face the world today. Recognising its significance, the European Union s 2020 Strategy aims to accelerate the move towards a greener, more sustainable and more innovative economy, where prosperity will result from innovation and from using resources better, and where knowledge will be a key input. European Innovation Policy is a key pillar of this strategy, which aims at creating the most favourable conditions for innovation. The strategy singles out ten priority actions in a roadmap for action at national and European levels. The EU plans in particular to encourage the emergence of lead markets, where public authorities facilitate industry-led innovation by creating the conditions for a successful market uptake of innovative products and services in a focused way in areas such as e-health, internal security, eco-innovation and ecoconstruction. In India, the innovation system is characterised by its vast diversity spanning from grass root innovations done by ordinary citizens to cutting edge research and innovation done in modern laboratories in the private and public sectors. India s innovation is required to be both inclusive and sustainable, making a positive impact on the lives of resource poor citizens and helping to combat challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss. To explore ways in which Europe and India, multicultural democracies with large populations, big consumer markets and vibrant technology sectors, could exploit their complementarities to innovate better together, a European delegation led by Mrs Françoise le Bail, Deputy Director General of the Enterprise and Industry Directorate General of the European Commission, visited India in December The delegation was comprised of representatives of industry and academia and major research organisations in Europe such as Vinnova, the Swedish Innovation Agency and VTT (The Technical Research Centre) from Finland, as well as representatives of government. Their counterparts on the Indian side were the Department of Science and Technology led by Dr. T Ramasami as well as prominent science administrators and promoters of technology in business applications. The delegation participated in a Workshop on Innovation in Chennai, focusing on the transportation, IT and telecom sectors and a workshop in Delhi on Innovation Policies and Frameworks, both attended by representatives of Indian industry and academia. The exchanges and discussions at the workshops enabled a better understanding of European and Indian innovation systems, capacities and public support policies and helped to identify areas of common interest and to explore opportunities for cooperation. During the visit to India, the European delegation also visited research institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, industrial research establishments such as Airbus India Engineering Centre and Biocon in Bangalore, and ST Micro and Moser Baer in New Delhi. These visits provided a glimpse of India s capabilities in terms of innovation and of the dynamism in many sectors of the Indian economy. Exchanging information on innovation strategies, taking up the results of EU-India joint research projects and helping technologically innovative SMEs on both sides to form partnerships were identified in a joint statement as priority actions for the future. To know more about the European Innovation Policy please visit 4 update n e w s l e t t e r o f t h e d e l e g a t i o n Prof Ramasami, Secy. Department of Science and Technology and Mrs. Francoise Le Bail, Deputy Director General, Enterprise and Industry, European Commission.

5 Human Rights Promoting Human Rights in India: the EU launches a Call for Proposals The European Union has launched a Call for Proposals to promote initiatives in India under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) which supports the activities of civil society organisations all over the world. EU assistance for human rights projects in India ( 11 mn. or Rs.75 crs. cumulatively) goes back ten years and has supported initiatives in areas such as the rule of law, torture prevention, minority rights and the right of indigenous peoples. The current call will provide 1.2 mn (Rs.8.4 crs.) in additional support. A special event to mark International Human Rights Day and explain the provisions and modalities of the call for proposals was held in New Delhi on the 10th of December, It was addressed by the European Union Ambassador to India Mrs. Danièle Smadja, the Ambassador of Sweden in his capacity as representative of the President of the Council of the European Union for the second semester of 2009, the Additional Solicitor General of India Ms. Indira Jaising, and well-known human rights lawyer Ms. Usha Ramanathan. The development of human rights norms, said Mrs Jaising, was one of the greatest success stories of our times and the inclusion of relatively new socio-economic rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, along with the natural rights of civil and political liberties an acknowledgment of the view that both were essential. Speaking on the occasion Ambassador Smadja said that Human Rights Day represented an opportunity to reflect on the persistent human rights challenges worldwide and to identify the steps EU and India could take to promote human rights throughout the world. She informed the audience that respect for Human Rights and democracy had always been a precondition for membership of the European Union, was enshrined in the founding treaty and has subsequently been reinforced by the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the year In the context of EU-India relations there was, moreover, a long-standing tradition of complementing political dialogue with bilateral funding for civil society partnerships. An annual human rights dialogue was now an important feature of this process. The Swedish Ambassador H.E. Mr.Lars Olof Lindgren brought the attention of the meeting to three anniversaries: the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the 20th anniversary of the convention of the rights of the child; and the 25th anniversary of the convention against torture. In this context, he pointed out that despite enormous progress in the last few decades, around 500,000 women in the world die each year as a consequence of pregnancy or childbirth; and around 100 mn. children are denied access to education. He hoped that India, which had signed the Convention against torture, would ratify it soon. The EIDHR call for proposals will support projects with grants ranging from 100,000 to 300,000 euro. Civil society is expected to present proposals for strengthening its capacities to lobby for reform and provide services to groups seeking redressal; and national human rights organisations are supposed to submit proposals as regards their performance in monitoring the situation on the ground, identifying gaps in policy, proposing reforms based on a comparison of best practices, or increasing the efficiency of the justice system as applicable to human rights violations. Detailed presentations on how to complete the application procedure were greatly appreciated by participants from human rights organisations. o f t h e e u r o p e a n U n i o n t o i n d i a Respect for Human Rights and democracy had always been a pre-condition for membership of the European Union. 5 update

6 Air Traffic Management Luc Tytgat, Head of the Single European Sky programme in the European Commission and Madhavan Nambiar Secretary Civil Aviation, Government of India Discussions with Indian authorities and other international players form an important component of the EU ATM modernisation plans. Reaching For The Skies The EU-India Air Traffic Management (ATM) Symposium - organised jointly by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the European Commission - was held recently in New Delhi. The symposium provided an opportunity for both sides to present and exchange views on Indian and European ATM initiatives as well as explore potential areas of cooperation in delivering a safe, efficient and effective ATM service. Air traffic has grown considerably over the last decade (+50%) and is expected to grow further in the future. India s aviation sector has the potential to absorb up to US$ 120 billion of investment by 2020, and analysts predict that domestic traffic can reach million by 2020, with the international traffic in excess of 50 million. The Indian fleet is likely to reach 1000, including replacement of the current fleet numbering around 370. European airspace, on the other hand, is among the busiest in the world with over 33,000 flights on busy days and high airport density. The Single European Sky legislation provides the necessary framework for a new air navigation services system of governance in the European region, some of its key objectives being to enable European skies to handle three times more traffic, improve safety by a factor of 10, reduce the environmental impact per flight by 10% and cut ATM costs by 50%. There are 587 air traffic movements between the EU and India on a weekly basis. This is bigger than all other regions (except the Gulf and Asia Pacific). The movements are not expected to decrease. As the sector grows it will need to address many challenges - skies are getting increasingly congested; airlines need to find a more efficient financial model through sustainable cost cutting; and environmental issues linked with increased air traffic higher CO 2 emissions and noise pollution - need to be addressed. Traffic growth cannot be sustained through the current fragmented air navigation services organisation and ageing ATM technologies, therefore any ATM modernisation needs to be a global endeavour. More than 150 specialists from both sides participated in the two day event. From India there were participants from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Directorate General for Civil Aviation ( DGCA), the Airports Authority of India, and airlines and airport operators. Delegates from the European side included the European Commission, the SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, Eurocontrol, FAB Europe Central, Member States and representatives from the SESAR industry members Airbus, Indra, Frequentis, SELEX, and Thales. Participants identified the following topics as areas for further cooperation: Capacity building on performance evaluation and review, notably in the fields of safety and quality of Air Navigation services (capacity, flight efficiency, delays, predictability and cost). Validation methodologies and infrastructure to ensure implementation of new technologies Building an India-EU partnership in the field of operators training in order to meet safety obligations. Explore short term actions which can result in quick wins for EU and Indian airlines (e.g. AIRE or Oceanic operations). Collaboration and cooperation in rule-making in areas such as Air Traffic Flow Management, flexible use of airspace, flight plans etc. Both parties are looking forward to enhanced collaboration in the near future. Discussions with Indian authorities and other international players form an important component of the EU ATM modernisation plans and the SESAR Joint Undertaking s strategy of global inter-operability and harmonisation. SESAR is the technological component of the Single European Sky it aims to eliminate the fragmented approach to European ATM, transform the ATM system, synchronise all stakeholders and federate resources. The undertaking has a budget of 2.1 billion over 8 years and operates as an innovative Public- Private Partnership. For the first time, all aviation players are involved in the definition, development and deployment of a pan-european modernisation project. Sesar targets Save 8 to 14 minutes, 300 to 500 kg of fuel and 945 to 1575 kg of CO 2 on average per flight. n e w s l e t t e r o f t h e d e l e g a t i o n

7 Research Co-operation EU-India Workshop Explores Synergies in Research Infrastructures To support scientific knowledge generation and innovation, both Europe and India have invested heavily in the creation of large research infrastructures, occasionally in collaboration. Some examples of this are CERN, the European laboratory for Nuclear Physics, where India s engagement began in the 1960 s, ITER, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project, where India is one of 7 partners in the project, and FAIR, the Facility for Anti-Proton and Ion Research, where India is a major contributor. To explore possibilities for further strengthening this cooperation, an EU-India Workshop on Research infrastructures was organised in New Delhi in January It was led by Dr P. Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India and Dr T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology on the Indian side, and Prof Carlo Rizzuto, Chair, European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures, Mr Hervé Péro, Head, Research Infrastructures, DG RTD and Mr Kostas Glinos, Head, GEANT & e-infrastructures at the European Commission on the European side. This workshop brought together 20 researchers and administrators from Europe and 40 from India. Possible collaboration between several European infrastructures and their counterpart activities in India were discussed. They include the Infrastructure for Research on the Protection, Management and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity (LIFEWATCH), the Square Kilometre Array in Europe and the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope project in India for radio astronomy; Svalbard Integrated Arctic Observing System in Europe and the Indian scientific studies in Svalbard; the High Power Long Pulse laser for fast Ignition Fusion (HiPER) in Europe and Indian programmes on magnetic confinement fusion programmes and laser-plasma interaction activities in India. On the einfrastructures side, policy orientations were presented and specific projects such as the research networks GEANT and TIEN3 (Trans-Eurasia Information Network) in Europe, the national knowledge network in India; the supercomputing infrastructures Partnership for advanced Computing in Europe (PRACE) and Distributed European Infrastructure for Supercomputing Applications (DEISA) and corresponding activities in India were presented. Discussions showed that existing collaboration was strong and that most of them had started with scientistto-scientist contacts and matured over a period of time. Areas of future cooperation were also identified. These included, among others, arctic sciences, biomedical sciences, material sciences and astronomy and the appropriate e-infrastructures in these fields as well as those related to computations for synchrotron and NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) facilities, CERN, and ITER. The immediate steps that could be taken included the setting up of post-doctoral fellowships and faculty / student exchanges. Possible collaboration between several European infrastructures and their counterpart activities in India were discussed. Recognising the importance of research infrastructures, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures, ESFRI, a strategic instrument to develop the scientific integration of Europe and to strengthen its international outreach, was set up in 2002 by the Member States of the European Union. Since being formed, the ESFRI has witnessed significant advances towards unity and international impact in the field of research infrastructures. The competitive and open access to high quality Research Infrastructures supports and benchmarks the quality of the activities of European scientists, and attracts the best researchers from around the world. The mission of ESFRI is to support a coherent and strategy-led approach to policy-making on research infrastructures in Europe, and to facilitate multilateral initiatives leading to the better use and development of research infrastructures, at EU and international level. For more information on the ESFRI please visit o f t h e e u r o p e a n U n i o n t o i n d i a 7 update

8 The EU will support Nine New Projects in Vocational Education and Training Education and Training Dialogue and cooperation between the EU and the Ministry of Labour and Employment will begin shortly under the aegis of an MOU between the two sides. The European Union Delegation to India recently participated in the National Skill Conference on New Perspectives, Actions, and Challenges in the Unorganized Sector in Bangalore. Speaking at the conference, Ellen Pedersen of the Delegation emphasized the importance of education and training for economic development and poverty reduction and pointed out that labour market-driven Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is a traditional area of European Union expertise and external cooperation. In India, a call for proposals by the EU has recently focused on skills development and resulted in the selection of nine new projects with an EU contribution of over 8 mn euro or (INR 54 crs. approximately), many of them in areas designated backward regions by the government. Dialogue and cooperation between the EU and the Ministry of Labour and Employment will also begin shortly under the aegis of an MOU between the two sides according to which the EU and India shall have a structured dialogue in the area of skills, training and employment, social security, occupational health and safety, workers participation in management and other relevant issues, jointly identified. Several speakers at the Conference emphasised that skill training in India should match the demands of the new economy as well as focus on the unorganized sector and school dropouts in order to create an employable workforce for a young nation like India, where 52 per cent of the population is below 25 years age. To succeed, the following challenges would need to be addressed: evolution of a single composite strategy instead of uncoordinated actions broadening the scope of programmes to include those who have not completed the 10th or 12th standards in formal education; and expansion of courses beyond the industrial sector - which is just 1 out of the 21 sectors of the economy - to other areas in which there is a huge demand for skilled labour but where there is no provision for youth to acquire the requisite skills. Discussions were mainly around these challenges and on the respective roles of the private sector, civil society and the Government. On the second day of the Conference, a workshop was organised for EU contracts with civil society organisations in the Vocational Education and Training sector in India by the organisation Functional Vocational Training and Research Society (FVTRS). Its objectives were to make these organisations aware of each others work and identify ways in which they could collaborate in future to have a greater impact. 8 update n e w s l e t t e r o f t h e d e l e g a t i o n

9 Education and Training European Union : Vocational Education and Training Projects NGO State Project Focus Local partners Aide et Action, France Andhra Pradesh Re-orient the vocational education system in Andhra Pradesh to create sustainable market oriented employment opportunities for marginalized youth Aide et Action India Private Limited PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action Society) Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Chattisgarh, Orissa, Bihar and Rajasthan Build skills in agriculture support services. It will train 6,000 youths in such livelihood services for women producers. None CAP Foundation Trust West Bengal, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan Develop employable skills for disadvantaged youths from 22 districts mainly in the healthcare and tourism sectors. None CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) Uttar Pradesh and Haryana Build framework for employer engagement in skills development. Key components: 1) Creation of 2 sector skills councils; 2) Delivery of demand driven benchmarked training across the manufacturing, agro-processing and tourism sectors; 3) development of delivery mechanism for soft skills including English for employability British Council; City and Guilds Deutsche Welthungerhilfe Jharkand, West Bengal and Orissa Build skills among tribals, dalits and OBC youths in 13 districts in 3 eastern states in India based on specific local needs in fields of sustainable agriculture, non-timber forest produce, water conservation technologies, renewable energy and health. Agragamee; Center for World Solidarity; Development Research Communication & Services Centre; Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama SEWA (Swashrayi Mahila Sewa Sangh) Gujarat and Rajasthan Build skills among self-employed women, in both textile and garment sectors as well as other economic fields such as agro processing and renewable energy reaching out to 25,000 women None Udyogini Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan Build on existing Rural Business hubs which are focal points for skills development in the concerned supply chain (vegetables, honey, non-timber forest products and bamboo products) for women. None MYRADA (The Mysore Resettlement and Development Agency Society) Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka Establish rural VET centres in collaboration with the Karnataka State VET programme and the Rajiv Gandhi Udyogshree programme in Andhra Pradesh. The project will be implemented in 2 southern states of india - Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, covering 3 districts and reaching out to 2500 youths. None TREC-STEP (Tiruchirappalli Regional Engineering College Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Park) Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra. Develop and deliver new emerging technology (NET) skills to youth in 10 districts in 3 states - Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra. Vivekananda Institute of Bio Technology Sri Ramakrisha Ashram Nimpith;Science and Technology Park, University of Pune India EU Study Centres Inaugurated Four new centres to promote the European studies in India and two centres to promote Indian studies in Europe have been launched under the Joint Action Plan agreed between the European Union and the Indian government. This is in addition to the ten existing centres which are being strengthened and upgraded. The programme is managed by a steering committee consisting of representatives of the European Union, the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the Association of Indian Universities, the University Grants Commission and the Team Leader for the Technical Assistance Team. EU support for the six new partnerships is around 1.6 mn euro or just over INR 10 crs. The new centres, their partners on the other side, and the areas of study are summarised in the accompanying table. Each centre, in collaboration with its European or Indian partners will launch courses at the certificate, diploma or degree level and promote research in the social, political and economic fields. Günther Oettinger, Minister President of Baden Wuerttemberg in 2009, and now Commissioner for Energy in the European Commission. o f t h e e u r o p e a n U n i o n t o i n d i a 9 update

10 EU-India Study Centres Dr H.S. Ballal, Pro Chancellor of Manipal University, speaking at the inauguration of the Manipal Centre in the presence of the Chief Guest Mr Fernando Nino Page of the Delegation of the EU to India, Mr Ramdas Pai, Chairman of Manipal University, and Mr. Alexius Collette CEO of the Phillips Innovation Campus at Bangalore. The inauguration of the Centre for European Business Studies CEBS at Mumbai was attended by the Commissioner for Energy in the European Commission, Mr Günther Oettinger in his previous capacity as Minister President of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg in Germany where the European partner Reutlingen University is situated.this centre will study business management and trade. The Centre for European Studies in Manipal which was inaugurated on the 17th of December, 2009 is focusing on business, cultural and pace studies, and public health. The Centre for Comparative EU Studies at IIT Madras which was inaugurated on the 20th of January, 2010 is focusing on globalisation, international relations and democracy. Finally, the Centre for European Studies at the Department of Sociology, Delhi University, inaugurated on the 28th of January by the EU Ambassador H.E. Mrs. Danièle Smadja and the Pro Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. S.K. Tandon in the presence of partners from India and Europe, is focusing on comparative sociology in which it aims to launch a research programme in European studies. Centre Title Partner Universities Location Focus Areas of Study Objectives Opening Date 1. Contemporary 1. Arthus University Denmark Aarhus, Denmark Indian Language MA in Indian Studies, 12 February India Study 2. Allahabad University EU Society and Culture Hindi language course 2010 Centre 3. Sambalpur University 2. Centre for 1. University of Warsaw, Poland Warsaw, Poland Politics and Economics, Research MA in 14 Jan 2010 in Contemporary Indian 2. Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi EU Trade, FTA Contemporary India Studies Delhi, 28 Jan Research and Study 3. University of Hyderabad 2010 in Warsaw 3. Study Centre for 1. Reutlingen University, Germany Mumbai, India Business Management Degree in European Business 19 November European Business 2. SP Jain Institute for Management Trade, FTA Studies 2009 Studies in India and Research 4. European Study 1. Delhi University Dept. Sociology Delhi, India Comparative Sociology M. Phil and research 28 January Centre Programme 2. Ecole Normale Superieure, FR programme in European Universita degli Studi di Milano, IT Studies (at Sociology 4. Universitaet Potsdam, DE department) 5. International Institute for Asian studies of Leiden 5. Centre for comparative 1. IIT, Madras Chennai, India Global Politics, Globalisation MA and PhD in EU studies 20 January EU Studies 2. University of Sussex, Brighton, U.K. and Democracy and Global Politics (at 2010 Humanities and Social Science Dept.) 6. Manipal Centre of 1. Manipal University, India Manipal Business and management, 1. MA in European Studies and 17 December European Studies 2. Hochschule Bremen University of Karnataka, India Peace studies Management 2009 Applied Sciences, DE 2. Postgraduate diploma in Gandhian and Peace Studies 10 update n e w s l e t t e r o f t h e d e l e g a t i o n

11 Humanitarian Assistance The humanitarian cost of climate change: EU-supported planning helps Indian villages to prepare for natural calamities Many parts of India are prone to natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, cyclones and droughts. Climate change has had a significant humanitarian impact on many communities in India, whether living in the hills, river basins or valleys. For a burgeoning population which is highly dependent on nature s cycles, increasingly frequent and intense disasters caused by climate change have left little time for recovery before the next catastrophe strikes. Hari Singh, an elder from Shaat village in Himachal Pradesh, is clear about the impact of climate change: in his village there has been a 50 percent reduction of water availability over the years, which has reduced farm harvests by half and forced the villagers to migrate to nearby towns and cities. When it does rain, on the other hand, downpours are torrential. Compared to the last ten or fifteen years ago, rainfall has become very erratic, and in the monsoon season the local stream becomes potentially dangerous, said a woman from the local Self Help Group in Shaat village in Himachal Pradesh. Landslides also become frequent during the monsoons. Farms slide from the top of the mountain towards the valley, destroying crops and fruit orchards. In South Asia, the European Union s support for disaster risk reduction, through its humanitarian aid department ECHO, is in its seventh year, building the resilience of disaster-prone communities and strengthening national and state actions. As part of a South Asian disaster preparedness initiative, the EU s funding for disaster preparedness in India is an estimated 2.3 million Euros running for eighteen months and is allocated to Handicap International, ADRA, Malteser, Christian Aid, Aga Khan Foundation, Caritas, Action Aid, United Nations Development and Children s Agencies (UNDP, UNICEF) and the Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC). They work in the states of Orissa, Bihar, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. ECHO coordinates bi-monthly meetings with all the agencies to share best practices and common problems, the most recent one was held in January ECHO is also focused on integrating disaster preparedness into projects providing post-emergency humanitarian relief to disaster-struck areas. It [community-based disaster preparedness] is a very good programme. said Tulsi Chakraborty Goswami, of Nalani a non-governmental agency in Assam. [Before this] people would come with relief materials during the flood no one would tell us how to reduce our miseries. They [Caritas Germany ] showed us how to keep ourselves prepared for a flood; like stocking food, purifying water, added Gopal Barman of Nalani. They even cut the banana trunks and showed us how to make rafts and use them.and how to face floods more o f t h e e u r o p e a n U n i o n t o i n d i a For a burgeoning population which is highly dependent on nature s cycles, increasingly frequent and intense disasters caused by climate change have left little time for recovery before the next catastrophe strikes. 11update

12 Humanitarian Assistance Community based disaster preparedness encourages the protection of valuable documents like land deeds, voter identity, birth certificates, immunization and ration cards in sealed plastic folders. effectively. Communities use readily available resources for life-saving activities. Drinking water is a major problem during a crisis, be it flood, earthquake or cyclone. Water sources are often contaminated by debris and sewage. With EU funding, many communities have installed tubewells to provide clean drinking water for the affected population in times of floods. Konmoni Patar is a student in Galgomari village in Assam. In 2004 she remembers that they had to put their cows on banana rafts with water hyacinth over it. During floods, cows and buffaloes should be taken to higher ground. she said. Water should be boiled before drinking otherwise people fall sick. The communities divide themselves into teams early warning, search and rescue, first aid, prevention etc. Having mapped out the potential disasters, households and tasks, there are discussions about the best evacuation point, how to quickly help the disabled, elderly and children, safety for livestock, medical assistance, clean water sources and provisions that may need to be stored. Schools very often become the central point for disaster preparedness actions; children go home and share what they have learned, encouraging their families to be part of the live-saving process. Children are the future generation and they need to grow up with disaster preparedness being intuitive. explains Claudia Amaral, ECHO s Disaster Preparedness Coordinator for South Asia. There is no better multiplier than a youngster when you want to promote a culture of safety in disasters. Community based disaster preparedness encourages the protection of valuable documents like land deeds, voter identity, birth certificates, immunization and ration cards in sealed plastic folders. The quick availability of identification allows for a faster resumption of life for people affected by disasters in which floods, earthquakes, cyclones take every-thing in their wake, often leaving families with only the clothes on their back. In one community in Melayati in Assam, which is prone to floods, they tag their children with a white cloth strip with the child s name, father s name, address and contact covered in a plastic film. The idea is that children separated from families in emergencies can be easily reunited. In India, we are used to doing things at the last minute and as individuals, said a community activist in Assam. Now with community based disaster preparedness, this can change. EU - India Calendar of Events Month Particulars Place 05 February 2010 EU India Networking Event on Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology Research Hyderabad February 2010 EU India Workshop on Health Research New Delhi 04 March 2010 Visit to India of EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht New Delhi 10 March 2010 EU India S&T Cooperation Agreement Steering Committee meeting New Delhi April 2010 India-Europe Forum: Mutual perceptions, self understanding New Delhi and understanding of others 24 Apr 4 May 2010 European Film Festival Goa April 2010 Visit of the European Parliament Delegation for India New Delhi 28 April 2010 EU India Environment Forum on Ship Dismantling New Delhi 29 April 2010 EU India Joint Working Group on Environment New Delhi 12 update Published by Ambassador Danièle Smadja, Head of Delegation Delegation of the European Union to India 65 Golf Links, New Delhi ; Telephone: , ; Fax: delegation-india@ec.europa.eu; Website: