Ambassador of the European Union to India, HE Ugo Astuto, nominated Ms Renita Bhaskar - Minister Counsellor (Head of Trade and Economic Affairs) - Delegation of the European Union to India for announcing the 2022 class of #EuropeIndia40 Leaders list. The list was announced during a virtual ceremony on 9th December.

EICBI Chairperson Mr Sujit.S.Nair inducted the leaders to the 2022 Class.

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The 14 women and 14 men who made it to the 2022 class of EuropeIndia40 leaders list come from all walks of life and represent 16 different nationalities - Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, UK

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Read more details here - https://www.eicbi.org/2022-class-europeindia40-leaders

EUIndia60 Legends Coffee Table Book, an initiative of EICBI, was released at the European Parliament in Brussels. It is a collection of 60 legends who shaped EU-India relations as we see them today. Mr Soren Gade MEP - Member of European Parliament - Denmark/ Chairman - European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with India releases #EUIndia60Legends Coffee Table book in the presence of Member of European Parliament from Germany Ms Svenja Hahn alongside Mr Shishir Bajoria from IIM Shillong and Mr Deepak Bagla from Invest India at the European Parliament. The EUIndia60 Legends Coffee Table Book shares the story of 60 legends who have shaped #EUIndia relations over the past 60 years The list comprises diverse individuals from diverse ambits - former and current Heads of States, ambassadors, businessmen, diplomats, critical players in cultural diplomacy and the arts and even figures from the sciences and education sectors hailing from India, the UK, and the EU countries. #EUIndia60 Legends include 48 men and 12 women from 18 nationalities.

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Find more details of the EUIndia60 Legends here - https://www.eicbi.org/euindia60-legends

Europe India Leaders Conference 2022, the 25th conference of our business meet series, was held over two days with two sessions on 28th June 2022 - the morning session at Eurochambres and the afternoon session at the European Parliament in Brussels, as well as an industry visit to Wallonia on 29th June 2022. The conference is part of EICBI’s EUIndia60 campaign to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations between India and the EU. 28th June is an important day in the history of EU India relations as it was on 28th June 2000, the 1st India-EU Summit was held in Lisbon, Portugal.

 

​On 28th June, the summit focused on the operational challenges faced by small-scale businesses when they pursue their activities in India, and the EU and speakers shared their expertise on the financial, legal, marketing and sales challenges faced by companies while pursuing activities in the respective regions. About 20 speakers shared their knowledge on the 1st day of the summit, which was held at Eurochambres and the European Parliament. Nearly 100 organisations that work in policy, technology, manufacturing, education, Healthcare and other sectors attended the conference. 

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On 29th June, Indian delegates were taken to a place called Wallonia to experience seeing EU companies in action and directly engaging in interactions with experts on the factory floor. 

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Find more details of the conference here - https://www.eicbi.org/summits

On 2nd March, the 2nd summit of EUIndia60 campaign titled "EU India: Building Perspectives for the next decade" was held virtually. This virtual event looked at at how EU India relations can evolve during the next decade. On this day in the year 1962, that is 60 years ago, Indian Ambassador Krishen Behari Lall presented his Credentials to Mr Walter Hallstein, President of the Commission of the European Economic Community. He was the first to also be accredited to the European Community

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The event had participation from number of leaders in the EU India corridor and UK India corridor alongside EuropeIndia40 leaders. Some of the leaders who shared their inputs during the summit are as follows

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• Mr Sandeep Chakravorty IFS - Joint Secretary - Europe West Division, Ministry of External Affairs, India

• Mr Soren Gade - Member of European Parliament - Denmark/ Chairman - EU Delegation for Relations with India

• Mr Laurent le Danois - Team Leader - Cooperation Section, Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan

• Ms Ursa Pondelek - Policy Advisor for International Trade, European Parliament, Renew group

• Prof Neeta Inamdar, PhD - Jean Monnet Chair, Prof and Head - Manipal Centre for European Studies, Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal./ EUIndia60 committee

• Ms Françoise Binsfeld - Director, Aide à l’Enfance de l’Inde et du Népal (AEIN)

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Find more details of the virtual summit here - https://www.eicbi.org/post/a-virtual-summit-on-eu-india-building-perspectives-for-the-next-decade

On 27th January, EICBI organised the first virtual summit of the EUIndia60 campaign. This summit titled "EU India: A retrospective on 60 years of Diplomatic relations" looked at how EU India relations have evolved over the 60 years and the most critical events in EU-India relations over the past 60 years. 27th January is an important day in the annals of EU India relations as it was on 27th January 1962 that Indian PM Shri Jawarharlal Nehru sent a letter to the President of the commission of the European Economic Community, His Excellency Professor Walter Hallstein, which established the formal Diplomatic relations between India and the European Economic Community

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The event had participation from number of leaders in the EU India corridor and UK India corridor alongside EuropeIndia40 leaders. Some of the leaders who shared their inputs during the summit are as follows

 

• Mr Soren Gade - Member of European Parliament - Denmark/ Chairman - EU Delegation for Relations with India

• Mr Seppo Nurmi - Deputy Head of Mission - Delegation of the European Union to India

• Mr Geoffrey Van Orden CBE - Member of European Parliament - UK (1999 - 2020) / Chairman - EU Delegation for relations with India (2014 - 2019)/

• EUIndia60 Committee

• HE Mateja Vodeb Ghosh - Ambassador of Slovenia to India

• ​Mr Niccolò Rinaldi - Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union - European Parliament

 

Find more details of the virtual summit here - https://www.eicbi.org/post/a-virtual-summit-on-eu-india-a-retrospective-on-60-years-of-diplomatic-relations

EUIndia60 logo was released during the announcement of 2021 Class of EuropeIndia40. For the launch ceremony, British MP Hon Virendra Sharma MP {Member of Parliament - UK/ Chairman - Indo-British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)}; Member of European Parliament Mr Soren Gade (Chairman of the European Parliament's EU Delegation for Relations with India); Member of European Parliament Mr Sandro Gozi ( Member - EU Delegation for Relations with India, European Parliament/ Former Undersecretary for European affairs of the Italian Government); Indian Member of Parliament Mr Alphons kannanthanam (Member - Standing Committee for External Affairs, Indian Parliament/ Former Union Minister - India) and Mr Seppo Nurmi (Deputy Head of Mission - Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan ) shared a message with 2021 Class of EuropeIndia40 leaders during the virtual ceremony.

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In the year 2022, India and the EU will celebrate 60 years of Diplomatic relations and the EuIndia60 campaign will focus on series of activities in 2022 to celebrate this special occasion. These activities will demonstrate the growing relationship between India and the EU over the last 60 years as well look at the future with hope as India shares many values with the European Union which makes India seem like a natural partner for the European Union