Vol 9No 1JaNuary- February 2009www.delind.ec.europa.eu

Newsletter oF the DelegatioN oFthe europeaN CommissioN to iNDiaNewsletter oF the DelegatioN oFthe europeaN CommissioN to iNDia

CurreNCy CoNVersioN 1=rs 64.08 1=us$ 1.31

eight oscars for eu-supported film

security Dialogue

Distance learning

Disabled people receive support

Climate Change

erasmus scholarship programme

education

research project on indian agriculture

microfinance

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in this issue

the euro is ten years old

the current global crisis has hit Europe hard, and a contraction in EU GDP is expected

this year. However, the introduction of the euro is protecting European economies from many of its most serious consequences. While preoccupation with the fall in output and jobs prevents the mood in European financial centres from being overly buoyant, there is, nevertheless, an underlying satisfaction at the very real achievements of the new currency.

The euro completed 10 very successful years on January 1, 2009. On the same day, Slovakia became the 16th Member State to adopt it, bringing to a total of 328.6 million, the number of citizens in the European Union who use a common currency.

Commemorating this occasion, President of the European Commission, Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso said that "the euro has helped create 16 million jobs and, over time, has delivered lower inflation and lower interest rates than ever before. In the current time of crisis, the euro is sheltering businesses from the exchange rate volatility which has battered them in previous downturns." In less than a decade, the euro has become one of the world’s two major currencies, alongside the dollar. Although banknotes and coins were introduced in 2002, the euro was created in 1999 when, as part of the programme for European Monetary Union (EMU), 11 countries irrevocably locked the bilateral exchange rates of their currencies. The EMU has ushered in an unprecedented period of price stability and low interest rates in Europe.

The direct benefits of EMU for the citizen include: n an average inflation rate in the last 10

years of around 2%. n a fall in long-term interest rates to less

than 4%, giving many households the opportunity to own a house, and encouraging companies to finance their investment plans, contributing to the creation of a record number of jobs.

n the advantage to citizens who no longer need to lose time and money exchanging currencies when holidaying abroad and who can better compare prices of destinations, goods and services, thus

increasing the level of competition to their benefit.

n the advantages to companies which are now sure when they sign a deal with business partners elsewhere in the euro area that fluctuating exchange rates will not hit their share of the proceeds. Although less visible for the citizen, benefits,

such as the reduction in deficits and taxes; cost savings in cross-border money transfers; and the creation of 16 million jobs since 1999 due to the increasing integration of European economies are equally significant.

Building further on those steps already taken under the European Union's Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs, the euro area should become more competitive and take even better advantage of having a single currency. ■

in 10 short years, the euro has become a source of financial stability and economic development for 16 countries of the european union.

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Eight Oscars for EU-supported film eight oscars were awarded to 'slumdog millionaire' at the 81st academy award ceremony

in hollywood. these include the most prestigious prizes – best Film and best Director (Danny boyle) – as well as prizes for screenplay, score, original song, cinematography, film editing and sound mixing. this british film was co-funded under the eu's film support programme meDia.

Cinema: international recognition for eu-funded Film

‘slumdog millionaire’

"i congratulate the makers of 'Slumdog

Millionaire' for their success, which is as

breathtaking as the film's rags to riches plot.

The scale of the triumph, be it the eight Oscars

or its popularity with audiences worldwide,

shows that the support by the EU's MEDIA

programme is paying off," said Viviane Reding,

EU Media Commissioner. "The EU's MEDIA

programme makes sure films made in the EU

gets a chance to meet judge and jury, in the

form of audiences worldwide and competing

for international prestigious awards. The

success of 'Slumdog Millionaire' shows, more

than ever, that MEDIA funding is money well

spent, as it helps Europe's cinema spread its

cultural diversity around the globe." 'Slumdog

Millionaire' received ¤830,000 in support

from the MEDIA programme for distribution in

2008 and 2009. The total budget of the film is

estimated to be ¤11 million.

Seven films funded by the EU's MEDIA film

support programme were nominated for Oscars

at this year's Academy Awards: Der Baader

Meinhof Komplex (Germany, Uli Edel), Entre les

Murs (France, Laurent Cantet), Waltz with

Bashir (Israel/France/Germany, Ari Folman),

Happy Go Lucky (UK/Mike Leigh), The Duchess

(UK/France/Italy, Saul Dibb), 'Slumdog

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eight oscars for EU-supported film

Seven films funded by the EU's MEDIA film support programme were nominated for Oscars at this year's Academy Awards

Millionaire' (UK/US, Danny Boyle) and the award-winning documentary, Man on Wire (UK/US, James Marsh).

The EU's MEDIA programme provided significant financial support to these films figuring high on the nominations list of the Oscars Ceremony. The total contribution from the EU's MEDIA programme for these films alone amounted to ¤3,028,000, with even more support likely to follow for distributing the film to cinemas.

Last year, the Oscar winner for best foreign language film was the MEDIA-funded Austrian-German co-production "The Counterfeiters" (Die Fälscher) (IP/08/298). In 2007, the German MEDIA-funded "The Lives of Others" (Das Leben der Anderen) won the Oscar for the Best Foreign Language film. In 2006, the French MEDIA-funded "The March of the Penguins" (La Marche de l'empereur) was awarded the Oscar for the Best Documentary film.

The EU's MEDIA programme plays a crucial role in supporting Europe's audio-visual sector through the development and distribution of thousands of films as well as training activities, festivals and promotion projects throughout Europe. Nine out of every ten feature films in Europe distributed outside their home country receive MEDIA support every year.

The MEDIA programme has a fund of ¤755 million for Europe's film industry for the 2007-2013 period. Its overall objectives are to strengthen the competitiveness of the European audio-visual sector by facilitating access to financing and promoting use of digital technologies, to reflect and respect Europe's cultural identity and heritage, and to increase the circulation of European audio-visual works inside and outside the European Union. In 2008, the MEDIA programme supported over 1,800 projects with a total of ¤107 million. ■

europe without barriers

on the 9th of January 2009 the European Commission adopted

a new MEDIA MUNDUS programme, a broad international cooperation programme for the audio-visual industry to strengthen cultural and commercial relations between Europe's film industry and film-makers of third countries. The EU will provide €15 million of funding from 2011-2013 for projects submitted by audio-visual professionals from the EU and third countries.

"The international audio-visual landscape has changed significantly over the last two decades, notably through the impact of technological developments like video on demand, Internet TV or multi-channel digital television This has created growing demand for more audio-visual content, and we need to 'fill' all these new technologies with new and exciting content," said Commissioner Viviane Reding. "I think MEDIA MUNDUS is the right cultural answer to this global technological challenge. The successes of the current MEDIA programme and MEDIA International have shown the need for a sequel: It's time to go global. I expect EU citizens to see the results of our new efforts very quickly in a cinema nearby!" ■

For further information: http://ec.europa.eu/media

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Education

international teachers' Conference in udaipur

Charting the Course of reform for teacher education in india

the European Union co-financed an International Conference on Teacher

Development and Management in Udaipur from 23-25 February 2009. The Conference addressed critical aspects of policy and practice relating to: (a) attracting, developing and retaining effective teachers; (b) emerging concerns relating to pre-service education and initial teacher preparation; and (c) policy and practices of in-service teacher training. The Conference brought together 150 participants from different parts of the world, with over 45 speakers on the three main themes of the Conference. The Conference was aptly located in the Vidya Bhawan Teachers College in Udaipur, a respected institution providing a range of teacher education programmes.

EU speakers addressed a range of topics that are pre-occupying policy makers and practitioners in India, including recent trends in developing teacher knowledge and skills; adaptation of teacher education to the changing needs of schools; standards for the recruitment and professional development of teachers; the usefulness of teacher education through peer learning; the changing roles of teachers and teacher educators; the role of school leaders; the role of regulatory bodies in ensuring quality in teacher education; and, finally, the role of assessment in improving teacher quality.

Teachers are crucial for sustaining reforms in educationThe conference was co-hosted by the EU, the Department for International Development (DfID) of the United Kingdom and the World Bank at the request of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, as part of ongoing support to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

eu education experts presented their experiences in teacher education to an education conference in udaipur.

Programme (SSA II), which is the country's flagship programme for the universalisation of elementary education. The EU has cumulatively provided € 270 million to SSA I and SSA II, not including the contribution from the UK which is a Member State. The current phase of SSA II is concentrated on planning and implementing measures to improve the quality of education and international evidence points to the high correlation between the quality of the teacher and the quality of the education system. A very rapid growth in the number of schools and teachers in India has raised crucial issues relating to the recruitment, management and professional development of teachers.

The European Union will provide support to teacher assessment and management

Some of the key messages that emerged from the Conference were as follows: comprehensive teacher recruitment, education and management policy is essential, and India needs to put in place a minimum set of enabling conditions for teachers to function effectively. Teacher education curriculum needs to be aligned with school education curriculum. Ongoing work in the country to put in place teacher performance standards needs to be built on through active consultation with teachers. The nature of in-service teacher training needs to move away from a fragmented and fund-driven approach to a comprehensive one which is demand-led, uses multiple and innovative approaches and incorporates lifelong learning opportunities for teachers. As a follow-up to this conference and as part of its support to SSA, the European Union will bring successful initiatives in the assessment of teachers, and in teacher management to India. ■

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}Teacher education will be an important element in the European Union's support to the education sector in India.

– Ambassador Danièle Smadja,

Head of the European Union Delegation to India,

Bhutan and Nepal

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Microfinance

The 2007-13 Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme of the EU has several schemes and a budget of over €1 bn to facilitate access to loans and equity finance for SMEs where market gaps have been identified.

mySME, a project funded by the EU's Asia Invest Programme, held its inception

conference as part of the Inclusive Growth Conclave on 'Rethinking Microfinance' from January 29th to 31st in Gurgaon.

MySME News is a pioneering business news agency that will deliver customised and personalised information services for micro-entrepreneurs on mobile phones. MySME News will leverage the dramatic spread of the mobile phone in Indian slums, as well as the explosive growth of Microfinance, using traditional media such as print for initial delivery and awareness. It will finally be available entirely on mobile phones, and serve as an information exchange.

The first pilot for the project was launched in the slums of Kolkata in early January 2009. Internews Europe, which specialises in media development, Mahiti, a social IT organisation, Plural India, a microfinance NGO and Equal Access of Nepal are the main partners in this project. They will work with several local microfinance institutions (MFIs) operating in Kolkata's slums, accessing the MFIs' network

of borrowers to deliver the news service to 300,000 recipients of microfinance loans.

The conference was organised as a series of discussions and debates spread over 2 days with field visits on the third. It gathered over 120 practitioners, policy makers, researchers, technical assistance providers, promoters and enthusiasts, academicians, media, technology service providers and students from business schools from 7 countries in Asia (India, Nepal, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka) as well as representatives from international financial institutions, the UK and France.

Apart from initiating several topical debates, the project implementers also shared the findings of a baseline study conducted by AC Nielsen, a reputed marketing intelligence service provider, on the information-seeking patterns among microfinance clients in the Kolkata municipal area. The findings – which focus on the needs of borrowers for alternative markets, skill development courses, cheaper raw material and low-interest rate loans – validate many assumptions of the project objectives and methodologies. ■

users of microfinance Now have their own News agency

market information for small entrepreneurs

mobile phones will be used to provide business information in a pioneering experiment.

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a major research project is underway to understand the impact of structural and

policy changes on the demand, supply and trade of agricultural products in India. This project – called TAPSIM, or Trade, Agricultural Policies, and Structural Changes in India’s Agrifood System: Implications for National and Global Markets – will run for 3 years, till August 2011. It is funded by the 7th Research Framework Programme of the European Union (2007-13) under its €1.9 bn. envelope for research on food, agriculture and fisheries and biotechnology. The cost of the project is €1.7 mn., with the EC funding being €1.35 mn. Likely products for analysis in the project include cereals, pulses, vegetable oils, cotton, sugar, dairy products, meat and fish, and fruit and vegetables. The project is expected to lead to the development of databases and modelling tools which will be able to estimate the likely impact of factors such as demographic changes, income growth, public and private investments in irrigation, food processing and retail, and trade agreements on the agricultural market. It will also look at the likely consequences for agricultural products of possible changes in the rules of origin under a revised GSP (Generalized System of Preferences is a formal system of exemption from the more general rules of the World Trade Organization). A

quantitative study of the welfare and poverty impacts of structural changes will also be carried out by researchers.

TAPSIM is a joint venture of the Landbouw Economic Institute of the Netherlands, The Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, the Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali (animal production research centre) SpA of Italy, the International Institute of Agricultural Development in Central and Eastern Europe (IAMO) in Germany, and two well known research centres in India – the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research in Mumbai and the New Delhi office of the International Food Policy Research Institute.

As part of the TAPSIM project, an international workshop was held in Delhi on February 19, 2009. This workshop aimed to identify and discuss the main issues with respect to the evolution of agriculture in India (including policy, trade and development issues), the trade relationship between India and the EU (including the bilateral trade negotiations), and the role and interests of India with respect to the global world (including regional trade agreements, expected future trends in world trade, etc.). About 20 participants from government, the agrifood sector, farming and academics met to discuss the major trends in India and their linkages to the national and global markets. ■

Research Project on Indian Agriculture

six institutes to study Changes in indian agriculture

Framework programme 7 research project

an eu-funded project involving several top research organisations will study the impact of demographics, market structures and trade in indian agriculture.

Likely products for analysis in the project include cereals, pulses, vegetable oils, cotton, sugar, dairy products, meat and fish, and fruit and vegetables.

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erasmus Scholarship Programme

in 2009-13, the EU will increase its support to the most highly talented students and

professors from countries outside the EU with grants to take part in joint programmes in Europe. It will also extend the scope of the programme to the doctoral level and give more financial support to European students.

The aim of this action is to promote understanding and mutual enrichment between the European Union and third countries in the field of higher education by promoting the exchange of persons, knowledge and skills at higher education level, and particularly 'Erasmus'-style mobility (a study period abroad which forms part of a degree at home). The expected budget for Erasmus Mundus will be an indicative amount of €950 million from 2009 to 2013, a significant increase in the total allocation for partnerships under Erasmus Mundus and the Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Windows during 2004-2008.

The European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy, Mrs. Benita Ferrero-Waldner emphasised the importance of this programme in building a more united world: "Erasmus Mundus enables the brightest students inside and outside the EU to fulfil their potential and maximise their opportunities in life. It ensures academic excellence and helps students forge a shared vision for the world. With this programme, the EU promotes knowledge transfer and multiculturalism in action, key factors of progress and development for all.

Thus, we are adding a crucial component in our external cooperation programmes, going beyond support for government reform programmes by strengthening people-to-people contacts in this very particular area. These contacts might be useful in the future given our globalised world."

More than 10,000 scholarships so far In the period 2004-2008, Erasmus Mundus and the Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Windows offered more than 10,000 scholarships to students and academics from all over the world, with a combined budget of €609 million. The programme offered the opportunity to third-country students to obtain a degree in Europe, and to academics to share know-how and to contribute to study programmes through teaching or research activities whilst avoiding the brain drain and favouring vulnerable groups. Thanks to these exchanges and through cooperation with non EU partner countries, the programme also made a significant contribution to the enhancement of intercultural dialogue and to the sustainable development of higher education in third countries. The Erasmus Mundus programme (2009-2013) will fully integrate the former 'Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Windows' and continue to support partnerships between EU and non-EU higher education institutions as a basis for mobility among students and academics. ■

more students to benefit from erasmus mundus

eu support for scholarships to rise significantly

erasmus mundus, the european cooperation and mobility programme which supports academic excellence and fosters cooperation with third countries, now enters a new phase with a substantially increased budget and a wider scope.

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}Erasmus Mundus enables the brightest students inside and outside the EU to fulfil their potential and maximise their opportunities in life.

– Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner

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Security Dialogue

in the spirit of the 'West needs the Rest' – as described by Alvaro de Vasconcelos, the

Director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) – the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) hosted a panel discussion on 23 February 2009 to discuss the scope for common ground in 'Indian and EU Approaches to Security'.

The event was part of a series of engagements of the EUISS with experts in other major powers to explore how the European Union's multilateral approach to tackle global problems can be effective. The meeting proved to be an excellent forum to explain the nature of the EU as a security partner and identify the areas in which the EU and India could see eye to eye.

The Presidency of the EU was represented by Dr. Hynek Kmonicek, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to India, who underlined the value of the EU-India strategic partnership. Ambassador Danièle Smadja, Head of the European Commission Delegation, highlighted the trend of convergence that she has witnessed between the EU and India at their recent meetings and introduced the 2003 European Security Strategy – which aims to address a wide security spectrum from poverty and crime to failed and failing states.

In her keynote speech, chief guest Helga Schmid, Director of the Policy Unit at the

EU Council Secretariat, welcomed the possibility of working towards a concept of security that the EU and India as strategic partners could share. Ms Schmid outlined the European Security Strategy’s December 2008 implementation report and its main conclusions. She felt that since the international community should act increasingly in concert to tackle both the causes as well as the symptoms of the security threats we face, a common vision was essential. She quoted extensively from the recent Munich Security Conference where she witnessed a shift in the new administration in Washington towards acting preventively rather than pre-emptively, more in line with the EU’s broad approach to security. Ms Schmid saw a particular affinity with India in the fight against terrorism, citing the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the attacks in London in 2005 and Madrid in 2004, and expressed her hope for closer ties in this area.

Panelists proceeded to outline how the EU and India view security issues and concepts. The task would be to narrow this down to a workable frame. In this light, Ms Schmid highlighted the increased need for linkages at the civil society level – such as the EUISS-ICWA initiative – and to agree on the common parameters in values and approaches so that a meaningful exchange could take place. ■

european and indian experts come Closer to a Common understanding

security

alvaro de Vasconcelos, Director of the european union institute for security studies, and helga schmid, Director of the policy unit of the eu Council secretariat, were among those who participated at an eu-india panel discussion on security in New Delhi.Helga Schmid, Director

of the Policy Unit at the EU Council Secretariat, welcomed the possibility of working towards a concept of security that the EU and India as strategic partners could share.

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Distance Learning

innovation and Future trends in Distance learning

eu-india information society Dialogue

BELIEF and 6CHOICE, supported by GLOBAL, 6DEPLOY and sponsored by

Juniper Networks, Cisco-Velocis and Reliance Communications, organised an international symposium in India, partially broadcasted over the Internet, focussing on the adoption of e-Infrastructure for Distance Learning. Over 150 participants from India and Europe, including researchers, developers, new users, business representatives and policy makers, gathered in New Delhi on the 28th and 29th of January 2009 to discuss innovative developments and future trends in this field. The EU and India have established an extensive Information Society dialogue. On the research side, six priority sectors were highlighted at the occasion of the last EU-India Information Society Forum: EUROINDIA 2006. These include e-infrastructure with Internet security, next-generation mobile wireless, migration from IPv4 to IPv6, and a high capacity research and education network (e.g., possible connection of the European network GÉANT to its Indian counterpart ERNET).

The Euro-India Summit 2006 defined research in ICT technologies as a priority sector for cooperation between Indian and European Researchers. The 6CHOICE project will

strengthen cooperation between the research communities in India and Europe dealing with research networks (ERNET/GÉANT), grid connectivity and services. The focus is especially on the promotion of the Next-generation Internet Protocol: IPv6. The IPv6 technology is ready for deployment, and India has been targeted as being one of the first countries with the potential of adopting political directives to implement this new protocol nationwide.

The symposium attracted the participation of N.K. Sinha (Joint Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development), N. Ravi Shanker, Joint Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Communications & Information Technology), Bernard Fabianek (European Commission, Belgium) and Cathrin Stöver (DANTE/GÉANT2). ■

belieFBELIEF-II (Bringing Europe’s Electronic Infrastructures to Expanding Frontiers - Phase II) is an EU Framework Programme 7 project spanning 24 months, beginning 1st April 2008, with the aim of supporting the goals of e-Infrastructure projects to maximise synergies in specific application areas between research, scientific and industrial communities.

6ChoiCe6CHOICE will promote the use of the latest internet protocol technology across Europe and India as a fundamental part of their research infrastructures. 6CHOICE will complement the implementation of the e-infrastructure Framework across Europe and India for future Community research and technological development policy activities including monitoring and assessment activities. In particular, the project will involve conferences, seminars, studies and analysis, working groups and expert groups, operational support and dissemination, information and communication activities, or a combination of these, as appropriate in each case.

More information on the future initiatives is available at www.beliefproject.org

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Disabled People Receive Support

transforming the lives of Deafblind people across indiaEleven-year-old Sonali was born deaf

and with very limited vision in a remote village in Uttar Pradesh. The flutter of ordinary activities around left her unnerved, and her incomprehensible cries were interpreted as signs of mental ill health. Bound by poverty and lack of awareness, the family had given up all hope.

Fortunately, all that changed when she was identified by Ashraf, an educator trained by Sense International (India). He unshackled her bright mind from the fear of uncertainty and isolation and taught her to use her residual eyesight to maximum advantage. Ashraf also counselled the family. Inspired, Sonali’s mother attended the national conclave of Prayaas, the network of the families of deafblind people

eu support for the physically handicapped

supported by Sense International (India). Here she found a platform to discuss and learn from other's experiences. In fact, she devised special flash cards for Sonali and took the responsibility of her education upon herself. Sonali has graduated from her mother’s indigenous flash cards and now goes to a mainstream school regularly like other children of her age. Regular interaction with Ashraf has sensitised the teachers of the mainstream school to Sonali's needs. Meanwhile, the rest of the village seems to be spellbound by this transformation over the last two years. There is a sense of pride in the villagers as they talk to her.

There are an estimated 450,000 people in India, who, like Sonali, face the challenges of deafblindness, a combination of vision and

Sonali learning the alphabet

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Disabled people Receive Support

In partnership with the European Union, Sense International (India) is working towards reduction of social exclusion and improvement of the quality of life for deafblind people in India.

hearing impairment which leads to specific challenges in communication, mobility and access to information. As 95% of our learning depends on what we see or hear, many deafblind children develop additional physical, sensory and learning difficulties.

In partnership with the European Union, Sense International (India) is working towards reduction of social exclusion and improvement of the quality of life for deafblind people in India. The project is benefiting the lives of over 20,000 children and their families. Through this initiative, four Regional Learning Centres on Deafblindness (RLC) have been established to provide information and training. Each of these RLCs identifies partners in their regions and trains them on the needs of affected persons. A mentoring programme has been put into place through which organisations support each other through shared learning and exposure visits. Thus, the network of partners equipped to educate and support deafblind persons has grown to cover 23 states in India. All the four RLCs, with support from Sense International (India), have organised workshops and training programmes on various aspects of deafblindness. About 230 educators and CBR workers from more than 100 NGOs have been trained so far through these initiatives. Information booklets, posters, handouts etc., are being produced in vernacular languages. The local community's attention is also drawn towards the abilities of deafblind people through art exhibitions and workshops. The ability of the regional learning centres themselves is enhanced through regular training on subjects ranging from monitoring and evaluation, communication and organising events.

Since deafblindness is a low incidence disability, networking is a vital tool in providing mutual support. Deafblind People's, Family and Teachers' networks are established which play a significant role in advocacy initiatives at national and state levels.

Sense International (India)'s role as an advocate for the rights of deafblind people reached strategic alignment with the Government of India in their flagship

Elementary Education Programme – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA). Consultations have resulted in the inclusion of deafblind children in its mandate. State-level resource teachers of SSA and Integrated Education Department, faculty members, Area Convenors and Programme Officers of SSA and District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), etc., across the country, are being trained on deafblindness.

As a step forward in the same direction, the first-ever National Conference on Deafblindness was held in New Delhi in January 2009. It was sponsored by the European Union and supported by Hilton/Perkins International Program (USA) and the Rehabilitation Council of India. Sense International (India) joined hands with the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. Mrs. Anne Marchal, Head of Development Cooperation, Delegation of the European Commission to India, Bhutan and Nepal, inaugurated the conference.

About 265 participants, including development practitioners, policymakers, researchers, family members, educators, experts from related fields and deafblind persons themselves discussed the challenges in inclusion. Some conclusions that emerged during the three-day conference included the need for a proper system of certification of Deafblindness/MSI; better access to Information Communication Technology, Rural development programmes and increased collaboration between NGO's to avoid duplication. Overall, the conference served the purpose of cumulative introspection on the progress made till date, and also helped define the path ahead.

Over the past few years, a solid foundation has been laid for the inclusion of deafblind persons in society as equal partners and we are hopeful that through the joint initiative of the European Union and Sense International (India), there will be a life of dignity and opportunity for Sonali and other children like her. ■

N e w s l e t t e r o F t h e D e l e g a t i o N o F t h e e u r o p e a N C o m m i s s i o N t o i N D i aeu-iNDiaupDate12 N e w s l e t t e r o F t h e D e l e g a t i o N o F t h e e u r o p e a N C o m m i s s i o N t o i N D i a

Published by Ambassador Danièle Smadja, Head of DelegationDelegation of the European Commission in India65 Golf Links, New Delhi 110 003; Telephone: + 91 11 24629237, 43674367; Fax: 24629206E-mail: delegation-india@ec.europa.eu; Website: www.delind.ec.europa.eu

Climate Change

Date Event Place

5 March-22 April European Union Film Festival in India New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Calicut, Chennai, Jamshedpur

8 May Seminar on “The Challenge of Energy and Climate: the Role New Delhi of Industry” Co-organised by the European Business and Technology Centre, and the European Commission

9 May Europe Day

11-12 May EU-UK India workshop on Market-based Instruments as New Delhi a Tool to Address Climate Change

13-14 May Workshop on Future Water Resources in India under New Delhi a Changing Climate under FP 7 Project HighNoon

22-23 September EU-supported ICRIER Seminar on International Cooperation New Delhi in Times of Global Crisis: Views from G-20 Countries

September EU-India Forum on Multilateralism: EU Institute for Security New Delhi Studies (EUISS)

November EU-India Summit, New Delhi New Delhi

December EU-India Science and Technology Steering Committee Meeting New Delhi

eu Calendar of events – 2009

Director General Environment Mr. Karl Falkenberg visited Delhi from 4-6 February

2009 to take part in the EU high-level Troika meetings on climate change with senior Indian officials. The Troika was led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Environment Minister of the Czech Republic, Mr. Martin Bursik. The Czech Republic currently holds the EU Presidency.

Mr. Falkenberg briefed Indian counterparts that from the European Commission's point of view, developing countries should propose specific measures to cope with climate change

challenges together with ways to implement them. Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Bursik said that the EU is discussing different financial tools aimed at developing countries to fund projects to reduce greenhouse gases and adjust to climate change. First conclusions will be made known at the European Council meeting of Heads of State and Government towards the end of March 2009.

Mr. Falkenberg also participated in and addressed the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit. He highlighted the 20/20/20 targets of the December 2008 climate and energy package (reported in our previous issue) and the Copenhagen Commission Communication of January 2009. In particular, he referred to the financial elements of the package and the Communication which will be of assistance to generate resources for developing countries to implement the Copenhagen Agreement. He also stressed that comparable efforts in relation to targets and finance are expected from other developed countries, and specific actions from developing countries as well. ■

eu-india meeting in Delhi prepares for Climate Change summit

troika meeting on Climate Change with india