PURPOSE: to renew the Agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and India.
PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council may adopt the act only if the European Parliament has given its consent.
CONTENT: the Council's draft concerns the approval, on behalf of the Union, of the renewal of the Agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the Republic of India for an additional period of five years (17.5.2020 to 16.5.2025).
As a reminder, the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and India was signed in New Delhi on 23 November 2001 and entered into force on 14 October 2002. The Agreement has been renewed for additional periods of five years, in 2009 and 2015 respectively. The current Agreement is due to expire on 17 May 2020.
The review carried out by the Commission services demonstrates that the Agreement provides an important framework to facilitate cooperation between the EU and India in common priority scientific and technological areas of mutual benefit to both parties. Both sides confirmed their intention to renew the Agreement for a further period of five years without amendment.
The President of the Council will designate the person(s) empowered to notify the Government of the Republic of India, on behalf of the Union, that the Union has completed its internal procedures necessary for the renewal of the Agreement.