GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION No.167
TO BE ANSWERED ON 09-03-2007

INDIA-E.U. MINISTERIAL SCIENCE CONFERENCE

*167 SHRI SURESH PRABHAKAR PRABHU :
SHRI JASUBHAI DHANABHAI BARAD :

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
be pleased to state:

(a) whether the India-EU Ministerial Science Conference was held recently in New Delhi;
(b) if so, the issues discussed and the outcome thereof;
(c) whether any agreement was signed between India and the European Union; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (KAPIL SIBAL)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT AS REFERED IN REPLY TO STARRED QUESTION NO. 167 FOR 09.03.07 RAISED BY SHRI SURESH PRABHAKAR PRABHU AND SHRI JASUBHAI DHANABHAI BARAD REGARDING "INDIA-E.U. MINISTERIAL SCIENCE CONFERENCE"

(a) Yes Sir, Department of Science and Technology (DST) , on behalf of Government of India, hosted an "India-EU Ministerial Science Conference" at New Delhi on February 7-8, 2007. This event was co-chaired by Hon'ble Shri. Kapil Sibal, Minister for Science, Technology and Earth Sciences, India, H.E. Dr. Annette Schavan, German Minister for Education & Research under the framework of German Presidency of EU and H.E. Dr. Janez Potocnic, European Commissioner for Science & Research. It aimed at providing impetus and strategic direction for strengthening India-European Union (EU) Science and Technology Cooperation.

(b) The India-EU Ministerial Science Conference discussed two key issues (i) What are the main economic and societal challenges that the EU and India are confronted with and what role do science and technology play in addressing them? and (ii) How can India-EU science and technology cooperation be further strengthened and its impact enhanced, and through what modalities? The outcome of these discussions at the India-EU Ministerial Science Conference resulted in the adoption of a Joint Communique entitled "The New Delhi Communique", on February 7, 2007

(c) and (d) No Sir, the said event was organized within the framework of existing India-EC Science and Technology Agreement . Only the outcomes of the discussion held at the India-EU Ministerial Science Conference were reflected in the "New Delhi Communique" signed at New Delhi on February 7,2007 by Hon'ble Minister for Science, Technology and Earth Sciences Shri. Kapil Sibal, H.E. Dr. Annette Schavan, German Minister for Education & Research under the framework of German Presidency of EU and H.E. Dr. Janez Potocnic, European Commissioner for Science & Research . The New Delhi Communiqué inter-alia :

• Underlines that science and technology cooperation between the India and EU should be based on the principles of symmetry, reciprocity, mutual benefit and, where appropriate, the co-investment of resources in joint actions;
  
• Underlines the potential benefits of joint or coordinated calls for proposals, in strategically important research fields of mutual interest involving the co-investment of resources equally open to research communities in the EU and in India on a partnership model for balanced mutual benefits for both sides;
  
• Provides for holding India-EU strategic workshop series on some key areas like climate change, clean energy, combustion, comprehensive approach to systems biology with a focus on infectious diseases and drug development including pre-clinical and clinical trials;
  
• Recommends establishment of a critical number of joint India - EU nodes for networking innovation systems in different regions of India and Europe.
  
• New symmetric program for providing science and technology collaboration and mobility with joint funding.
  
• Combined effort to create joint infrastructures for advanced research in both India and EU.