India-Greece & India-EU FTA + India-US on Food Standards + Indian Diaspora Conference

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NEWS Bulletin from Indian Society For Sustainable Agriculture And Rural Development ***************************** 1. Greece for boosting bilateral trade ahead of India-EU FTA 2. No compromise on food standards: India to US 3. Indian diaspora allured by the name of welfare, development --- Greece for boosting bilateral trade ahead of India-EU FTA http://www.financialexpress .com/news/Greece-for-boosting -bilateral-trade-ahead-of -IndiaEU-FTA/260778/0 ASHOK B SHARMAPosted online: Saturday , January 12, 2008 at 1545 hrs IST New Delhi, Jan 11 : Greece has offered to boost bilateral trade and investment with India, ahead of the proposed India-EU free trade agreement. It has proposed to export fruits, vegetables, dairy products including feta cheese, wine, olive oil, masticha, machinery, lubricants, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, packaging and construction materials, processed food and bbeverages, clothing, infomatics and services. Feta cheese and masticha are protected by the

European Union as exclusive Greek products. The visiting Greece Prime Minister, Kostas Karamani while addressing the industry on Friday said : "The target to double the volume of our bilateral trade by 2010 seems attainable and viable." Saying that numerous agreements of economic nature were in place between the two countries, including the recently concluded agreements for protection and promotion of investments and scientific and technological cooperation, Karamani said "priority should now be given to signing of the revised agreement on avoidance of double taxation as well as to the conclusion of the agreement on air transport services." Karamani is on a four day visit to India with a high level official delegation. "Shipping is the most dynamic sector of the Greek economy. We wish to encourage the increase of chartering vessels of Greek interests for the carriage of Indian cargoes in worldwide

markets," he said. He invited Indian investment in renewable energy sector and also proposed that a number of Greek Companies with technology and expertise in the sector would like to invest in India Karamani invited Indian investments by presenting his country's strategic position in the rapidly developing southeastern Europe and its relations with the Balkans and the Black Sea region – an area of prominent geostrategic importance due to abundance of oil and natural gas. According to the agreement signed by Russia, Bulgaria and Greece in March 2007 for oil pipeline, Greece would emerge as an energy hub, offering new opportunities to entrepreneurs, he said. He said that Greece has become a financial and banking centre for southeastern Europe connecting eastern Mediterranean and West Asia. He said that the establishment of a direct air link between Greece and India would

contribute to the increase of tourist exchanges. The Indian commerce minister, Kamal Nath said that Indian Economy was also growing and both trade and investments have become a two-way traffic. Indian companies have begun investing abroad. He said that India was negotiating for a free trade and investment agreement with European Union which would be the largest trade agreement in the world. ------ No compromise on food standards: India to US http://www.financialexpress .com/news/No-compromise-on -food-standards-India-to-US /260785/0 ASHOK B SHARMAPosted online: Saturday , January 12, 2008 at 1756 hrs IST New Delhi, January 11: India has categorically told the US that it will not compromise on the quality and conformity to safety norms for food products and drugs and that it has constituted a working group in the Planning Commission to focus on this aspect. According to an official press release when the US secretary in the department of health and human services, Michael O. Leavitt called upon the Indian commerce minister Kamal Nath on Thursday evening and tried to impress upon him the need for modifying food safety norms the latter said that India was very conscious of the critical importance of quality and conformity to safety norms, particularly for food and drugs consumed by people and would work out its own norms. Both the sides discussed the progress

of ongoing cooperation in many US-India health and life sciences activities and the safety of consumer products, particularly in the fields of research, vaccine and vaccine production. There were reports that India was against importing wheat from the US due to the alleged presence of dangerous weeds. The delegation led by the US health secretary raised the issue of India refusing to dilute its safety norms for allowing imports of wheat from the US. New Delhi had also ruled out diluting safety standards to facilitate wheat import from the US. India imported 5.8 million tonne wheat in 2006, and has also contracted for about 1.8 million tonne in 2007, partially relaxing its quarantine norms. However the US could not participate in the face of India refusing to further lower its quarantine norms. The US had criticised India's phytosanitary requirements as 'unrealistic' and 'overly

stringent' weed seed standards for imports. "India's current (wheat import) standards translate into higher bread and flour prices for (its) consumers. The prices offered to India in the most recent import tender are significantly greater than recent purchase prices by other wheat importing nations," the US had said in July 2007. During the discussions, Nath referred to the setting up of a working group by the Planning Commission to focus on quality and food safety issues and recommendations for the implementation of good hygiene and good management practices, in a phased manner. He further stated that India and US have bilateral institutional frameworks to further trade like India-US Trade Policy Forum and the India-US Commercial Dialogue. As far as safety of drugs and medical devices exported from India to the US is concerned, Nath explained that US FDA conducts thorough examination before certifying Indian

facilities for production of goods destined for the US and inspects them regularly. Indian Companies have always been very cooperative in verification of requisite standards. Prior to his current assignment, Leavitt was head of the US Environmental Protection Agency and served three terms as Governor of Utah. He organised a nationwide campaign to transform the Nation's healthcare sector into a value-driven healthcare system. This was his first official visit to India. Leavitt had a discussion with the Indian health and family welfare minister, A. Ramadoss. While addressing an interactive session organized by the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry on Friday Leavitt disclosed: "I had a discussions with the health minister, A. Ramadoss and he the desire to create a US FDA type of an agency in India. Such a proposal was indeed laudable and the US would support India's initiative by providing technical

assistance for setting up such an agency." Leavitt emphasized the need for Indian Companies to meet the quality standards set out by the US. This would facilitate Indian Companies in accessing US consumers. This means that Indian Companies would have to get their food and pharma products certified by an agency that the US Administration trusts, he said. Some senior US officials underlined the need for common standards across the world to reduce the burden of the regulatory process on producers. Such harmonisation of standards would enable Companies to become globally competitive. At present there are different sets of standards globally, making it extremely difficult for Companies to devise products suited to the specific requirements of different countries. Leavitt, however, said that both US and India have a mutual commitment to ensure that products that are produced for

consumers are safe and of high quality. The US, he said, was committed to supporting India for eradication of polio, malaria and HIV. --------- Indian diaspora allured by the name of welfare, development http://www.financialexpress .com/news/Indian-diaspora -allured-by-the-name-of -welfare-development/259595/0 ASHOK B SHARMAPosted online: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 at 2245 hrs IST New Delhi, Jan 9 : The government has decided to launch a welfare scheme for Indian overseas workers in the West Asian countries.

The location of an University for the children of the Indian diaspora - persons of Indian origin (PIO) – will soon be decided India is slated to join the Hague Convention sponsored by Holland, which would facilitate application of international private law to the PIOs. Speaking at a working session on Gulf countries at the 6th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Conference of Overseas Indians) on Wednesday, the minister of overseas Indian affairs, Vayalar Ravi "My ministry has already prepared a note on the welfare scheme for Indian overseas workers in the West Asian countries and have sent it to the Union Cabinet for approval. The proposals contained therein relates to the welfare of their families residing in the country also their welfare on their return to India." The 6th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was jointly organized by the Union ministry of overseas India affairs, Delhi

government and the Confederation of Indian Industries. Ravi assured : "My ministry is exclusively for the welfare of Indians working in different parts of the globe. We are for resolving the difficulties they face abroad." In reply to the question raised by some overseas India workers asking for intervention in getting the assured minimum wages, Ravi said : "I cannot make an assurance. Such matters need to be taken up at diplomatic levels." The Union minister of state for external affairs, E Ahamed disclosed that a number of agreements and MoUs were underway with Gulf countries. He also shared the roadblocks that the Indian Government faces in implementing some of the plans in view of the varied domestic rules and regulations of the Gulf countries. Andhra Pradesh minister for energy & coal, minorities welfare, Wakf Urdu Academy, Mohammad

Shabbir Ali cautioned the Government against non-conformity with labour agreements. Kerala minister for industries, Elamaram Kareem suggested the constitution of a Core Group and setting up of regional level single window clearance systems for PIO investments and projects Later briefing the mediapersons at the conclusion of the two-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Ravi said that the government was also in constant touch with the developments relating to the Indian workers in Malaysia. "The Malaysian government has today dismissed the reports of a freeze on recruitment of workers from India," he said and added that he was surprised how the matter cropped up when both the governments have initiated a process to sign a MoU for Visa-on-Arrival scheme. The news reports about the ban came during a visit by Defence Minister A K Antony to Malaysia, triggering a furor in India. Malaysian Works Minister Samy Vellu, who is

in New Delhi to attend the conference of overseas Indians, had denied the reports yesterday itself. Vellu, also the President of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) -- a component of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, said that he had contacted Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Home Ministry Secretary-General to get a clearer picture on the issue. "It is not true. There is no such thing," Vellu told reporters when asked about the reports of freeze on employment of Indian workers. There are about 150,000 Indian workers in Malaysia, constituting 19.6% of overseas Indians. However, according to sources, amidst conflicting reports over the ban on recruitment of workers from India, Malaysia has conveyed to New Delhi that it wanted an early agreement to regulate such employment in that country. The defence minister AK Antony, who returned from Kuala Lumpur yesterday, said the Malaysian government was

unhappy over the delay in signing a proposed MoU that would regulate the employment conditions and welfare of Indian workers in Malaysia and Malaysian nationals in India. The external affairs minister, Pranab Mukherjee is also slated to discuss with Malaysian works minister, Samy Vellu the issue related to the reported ban on Indian workers. Ravi said that his ministry would take up with the civil aviation ministry about more flights to Gulf countries. The civil aviation minister, Praful Patel said that Kingfisher Airlines would be permitted to fly abroad, apart from Air India and Jet Airways. Ravi said that his ministry will work on for the implementation of the India Development Foundation for chanelising PIO contributions for empowerment of rural women and vocational training, establishment of the Global Advisory Council of the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), PIO University as

recommended by the Prime Minister of India. The Union minister for women and child development, Renuka Chowdhury also urged the PIOs to generously contribute towards the fund. The commerce and industry minister, Kamal Nath addressing a session said that amidst the shift in the global economic architecture, India has experienced a huge transformation since the early nineties when economic reforms were launched. Today India's engagement with the global Economy was around $ 450 billion and foreign exchange reserves were at a record level of $ 270 billion. India followed an "India specific" model and was now globally competitive. He said that Indian Companies were now heavily investing abroad, and the consumer market was growing at a fast pace. He said that the success of China was due to its SMEs, not the large corporations. Chinese SMEs get the support of their diaspora, while the Chinese government supported

their large enterprises. The minister urged the Indian Diaspora to lend their intellectual and entrepreneurship resources to build the Indian SME sector and engage it with the SMEs worldwide. The Canadian minister of small business and entrepreneurship, Harvinder Takhar Canada, said PIOs can promote trade between their home country and India, as they understand both countries. He highlighted the initiatives taken in his home constituency Ontario to promote trade in terms of reduction of paper work and opening of a marketing office in Delhi. Trade and investment opportunities were also the highlights of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas with a number of Indian industry leaders participating in the discussions. The chief ministers of Delhi, Gujarat, Kerala and Jharkhand appealed to PIOs to explore investment opportunities. The President of India, Pratibha Devisingh Patil while

addressing the valedictory session applauded the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas's attempt to focus on issues of social development, rural entrepreneurship, women empowerment and urged the diaspora forum to "transform and implement" the ideas and partnerships that have emerged from the various sessions of the two day conference. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, inaugurating the 6th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, on Tuesday said that the idea of India transcends the narrow barriers of religion, language, caste or class, both within and outside the Indian nation. He announced the launch of an 'Overseas Workers Resource Center' (OWRC) which will provide all relevant information and assistance to potential migrant workers. He also announced the establishment of Prime Minister's Global Advisory Council of People of Indian Origin. The security and welfare of Indian residents living abroad was a top priority of our diplomatic missions, he said. Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam was the chief guest of the occasion and conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award on the opening day.------

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