Karnataka   

European centre from Oct. 1

NEW DELHI: Aimed at providing a platform for profitable interactions between the European Union and Indian business entities, trade bodies and research institutions, the European Business and Technology Centre (EBTC) will start operating in India from October 1.

“The objective of the European Commission in launching EBTC is to foster links between the European and Indian businesses as well as between science and technology players to promote the EU with an interest in India and respond to the demands of the Indian market. We are committed to promote sustainable clean technologies in India through this centre,” said Daniele Smadja, Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to India, after signing a financing contract for setting up EBTC with Arnaldo Abruzzini, Secretary General of Eurochambres.

The creation of the centre was endorsed by the EU and India leaders last year during their summit here.

A consortium led by Eurochambres has been selected to operate the EBTC. The initial budget of the Centre would be over euro 8 million, 80 per cent of which would come from the EU budget (euro 6.6 million). Another euro 5 million would come from the EU budget soon in the months to come.

EBTC will primarily focus on sectors such as environment, transport, energy and biotechnology — all sectors being intrinsically related to climate change (including mitigation and adaptation technologies).

The Centre will build synergies among the chambers of commerce of EU member states already established in India and collaborate with the existing European business associations in India and Europe.

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