European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, on Wednesday said India is becoming "indispensable" for the economic resilience of Europe and signalled that the bloc is ready to deliver on a powerful new agenda with New Delhi that includes trade, security, technology and people-to-people ties.&nbsp;Her statement came the day before the top leadership of the European Union arrived in India for the 16th EU-India Summit on January 27 and as chief guests for the Republic Day celebrations. Kallas set the showing of the significant reset in ties between the two strategic partners, according to a report in NDTV.&nbsp;Marking the upcoming meeting with India as an important moment in renewed geopolitics, Kaja Kallas stated that the ties between the two are moving closer together at a time when parts of the world are in strain due to wars, coercion and economic fragmentation.&nbsp;"Two major democracies cannot afford to hesitate," she said and argued that New Delhi and the EU share a responsibility to uphold international law, the UN Charter and an effective multilateral system that is suitable for the 21st century.<h3>Three key initiatives</h3>According to Kallas, leaders are set to go beyond declarations of intent and approve “concrete deliverables” aimed at turning commitments into action. She mentioned that three key initiatives are expected to take centre stage.&nbsp;First, both sides are seeking to wrap up talks on the long-delayed EU-India Free Trade Agreement. Kallas said the pact would open up markets, cut trade barriers and reinforce critical supply chains in sectors such as clean technology, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, industries that have become strategically vital amid global disruptions and geopolitical strains.&nbsp;Second, the EU on Wednesday agreed to proceed with the signing of a new EU-India Security and Defence Partnership, which Kallas said she plans to sign in New Delhi next week. The deal will deepen cooperation in areas including maritime security, counterterrorism and cyber defence, and will be paired with the start of negotiations on a security of information agreement. "In a more dangerous world, we will both gain from working closer together," she said in the European Parliament.&nbsp;Third, both sides plan to finalise a memorandum of understanding on a comprehensive framework for cooperation on mobility. The agreement is expected to ease the movement of seasonal workers, students, researchers and highly skilled professionals, while strengthening collaboration in research and innovation, a priority for both ends as key to long-term competitiveness.&nbsp;

Marking the upcoming meeting with India as an important moment in renewed geopolitics, Kaja Kallas stated that the ties between the two are moving closer together at a time when parts of the world are in strain due to wars, coercion and economic fragmentation.

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, on Wednesday said India is becoming "indispensable" for the economic resilience of Europe and signalled that the bloc is ready to deliver on a powerful new agenda with New Delhi that includes trade, security, technology and people-to-people ties. Her statement came the day before the top leadership of the European Union arrived in India for the 16th EU-India Summit on January 27 and as chief guests for the Republic Day celebrations. Kallas set the showing of the significant reset in ties between the two strategic partners, according to a report in NDTV. Marking the upcoming meeting with India as an important moment in renewed geopolitics, Kaja Kallas stated that the ties between the two are moving closer together at a time when parts of the world are in strain due to wars, coercion and economic fragmentation. "Two major democracies cannot afford to hesitate," she said and argued that New Delhi and the EU share a responsibility to uphold international law, the UN Charter and an effective multilateral system that is suitable for the 21st century. Three key initiatives According to Kallas, leaders are set to go beyond declarations of intent and approve “concrete deliverables” aimed at turning commitments into action. She mentioned that three key initiatives are expected to take centre stage. First, both sides are seeking to wrap up talks on the long-delayed EU-India Free Trade Agreement. Kallas said the pact would open up markets, cut trade barriers and reinforce critical supply chains in sectors such as clean technology, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, industries that have become strategically vital amid global disruptions and geopolitical strains. Second, the EU on Wednesday agreed to proceed with the signing of a new EU-India Security and Defence Partnership, which Kallas said she plans to sign in New Delhi next week. The deal will deepen cooperation in areas including maritime security, counterterrorism and cyber defence, and will be paired with the start of negotiations on a security of information agreement. "In a more dangerous world, we will both gain from working closer together," she said in the European Parliament. Third, both sides plan to finalise a memorandum of understanding on a comprehensive framework for cooperation on mobility. The agreement is expected to ease the movement of seasonal workers, students, researchers and highly skilled professionals, while strengthening collaboration in research and innovation, a priority for both ends as key to long-term competitiveness.

Marking the upcoming meeting with India as an important moment in renewed geopolitics, Kaja Kallas stated that the ties between the two are moving closer together at a time when parts of the world are in strain due to wars, coercion and economic fragmentation.

India is ‘indispensable’ to Europe’s economic resilience, says EU ahead of 16th Summit with New Delhi

In a clarificatory comment, the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), Gerassimos Thomas, Director General of the European Commission's Directorate General of Taxation and Customs (DG TAXUD), has emphasised that the CBAM initiative is not a tax or tariff, but a measure designed to deal with carbon emissions. Addressing misconceptions around it, Thomas pointed out that CBAM is intended to promote sustainability, rather than acting as a trade barrier for Indian companies.

Speaking to WION, Thomas highlighted, “The instrument is not designed as a barrier or a tax; it is just an instrument that allows companies with more sustainable products to benefit.”&nbsp;

The clarification dispels concerns of Indian exporters as many see it as a potential obstacle to their access to the European market.

Watch:&nbsp;EU kicks off formal accession negotiations with Ukraine; Zelensky hails the step as historic

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Currently in its transition phase, CBAM which is expected to be implemented in 2026, is incorporating feedback from various stakeholders, including trading partners, companies, and industries. The initiative focuses on high-emission sectors such as steel and aluminium.

“A lot of the industries that I have met are saying that they have products that are sustainable, even having embedded emissions less than the EU,” noted Thomas.

&nbsp;He explained that CBAM is designed to create a level playing field, rewarding sustainability and incentivising companies to produce greener products.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiu342qvoiHAxUUR2cHHSnVCLcQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hungarys-orban-unveils-new-far-right-bloc-in-european-parliament-736564" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/hungarys-orban-unveils-new-far-right-bloc-in-european-parliament-736564&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiu342qvoiHAxUUR2cHHSnVCLcQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE">Hungary`s PM Viktor Orban unveils new far-right bloc in European Parliament</a>

“It creates positive competition between the companies, and the ones that are greener have a better and more open access,” the EU official stated.&nbsp;

Emphasising that the mechanism will not negatively impact the trading ties with India, Thomas remarked, “It will remain an instrument that does not colour our trading relationship with India. It is an environmental measure focusing primarily on specific sectors such as steel and aluminum, where we have substantial imports.”

&nbsp;EU and India will be holding a summit-level meeting early next year with both sides working on several areas including the free trade agreement. Thomas emphasised on a broad spectrum of cooperation areas, including economic, trade, environmental, and sustainability issues. “The overall EU-India relationship is becoming increasingly important as part of the geopolitical developments,” he noted.

In a clarificatory comment, the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), Gerassimos Thomas, Director General of the European Commission's Directorate General of Taxation and Customs (DG TAXUD), has emphasised that the CBAM initiative is not a tax or tariff, but a measure designed to deal with carbon emissions.

In a clarificatory comment, the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), Gerassimos Thomas, Director General of the European Commission's Directorate General of Taxation and Customs (DG TAXUD), has emphasised that the CBAM initiative is not a tax or tariff, but a measure designed to deal with carbon emissions. Addressing misconceptions around it, Thomas pointed out that CBAM is intended to promote sustainability, rather than acting as a trade barrier for Indian companies. Speaking to WION, Thomas highlighted, “The instrument is not designed as a barrier or a tax; it is just an instrument that allows companies with more sustainable products to benefit.” The clarification dispels concerns of Indian exporters as many see it as a potential obstacle to their access to the European market. Watch: EU kicks off formal accession negotiations with Ukraine; Zelensky hails the step as historic × Currently in its transition phase, CBAM which is expected to be implemented in 2026, is incorporating feedback from various stakeholders, including trading partners, companies, and industries. The initiative focuses on high-emission sectors such as steel and aluminium. “A lot of the industries that I have met are saying that they have products that are sustainable, even having embedded emissions less than the EU,” noted Thomas. He explained that CBAM is designed to create a level playing field, rewarding sustainability and incentivising companies to produce greener products. Also read: Hungary`s PM Viktor Orban unveils new far-right bloc in European Parliament “It creates positive competition between the companies, and the ones that are greener have a better and more open access,” the EU official stated. Emphasising that the mechanism will not negatively impact the trading ties with India, Thomas remarked, “It will remain an instrument that does not colour our trading relationship with India. It is an environmental measure focusing primarily on specific sectors such as steel and aluminum, where we have substantial imports.” EU and India will be holding a summit-level meeting early next year with both sides working on several areas including the free trade agreement. Thomas emphasised on a broad spectrum of cooperation areas, including economic, trade, environmental, and sustainability issues. “The overall EU-India relationship is becoming increasingly important as part of the geopolitical developments,” he noted.

'Not a trade barrier with India': EU official clarifies CBAM's environmental focus

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At the start of 2024, Europeans are of course deeply concerned by the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and by the conflict that has broken out again in the Middle East. However, we are not forgetting the broader picture: the centre of gravity of the world’s economy has shifted to the Indo-Pacific region, with close to 50 per cent of the world’s GDP and 60 per cent of the world’s population.

Peace and stability in this region are crucial for Europe and the world.

In recent years, the EU has worked steadily to improve its cooperation with the region, in particular by becoming in 2020 a strategic partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), launching its Indo-Pacific strategy in 2021, holding a successful EU- ASEAN Summit in 2022 and adopting the Samoa Agreement with Pacific countries in 2023. We will accelerate the path in 2024.

The economic links between the EU and the Indo-Pacific region have reached an impressive level, unimaginable 40 years ago. Maritime routes in the region have become the arteries of the world: every day 2000 ships transport goods across the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea to Europe and back.

However, the security environment is deteriorating. Major tensions are rising, from the South China Sea to the Taiwan Strait, the Korean peninsula, and the Red Sea. There is less trust among the main global and regional players; less respect for international law and multilateral agreements; force and coercion are on the rise. We are at risk of going back to a world where "might makes right".

The EU intends to counter this trend. Multilateral solutions and regional approaches are in our DNA and we will always defend international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the non-proliferation regime. To defend the rules-based world order, we want to cooperate more closely with our partners committed to multilateralism in the Indo-Pacific region.

The EU maintains regular security and defence dialogues with China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, and other nations. However, our cooperation increasingly extends beyond dialogue to concrete and operational activities.

Under our Strategic Partnership with ASEAN, security cooperation is also becoming more and more a major component. We are participating with members of ASEAN in regional navy exercises and the navies of our Asian partners are cooperating with us in Operation Atalanta, near the Horn of Africa. These are good examples of what we can do together.

To go further, we propose to use our member states’ advanced capabilities to become a “smart security enabler,” helping to build the capacities of our partners in the region on maritime security, cybersecurity, counter-terrorism, and foreign information manipulation and interference.

We need each other to help stabilise this world. The challenges we are facing do not allow us any other way than to cooperate closely to help avoid conflicts and ensure respect for international law. To protect freedom of navigation, EU member states are already increasing their deployments between the EU and the Indo-Pacific. The region can count on us as a reliable partner.

On the economic side, Russia's aggression against Ukraine has shown us the high cost of the EU’s excessive dependency on Russian gas. We are therefore focusing on improving the EU’s economic security by reducing this type of excessive dependency. However, this does not mean closing our borders. On the contrary, it should lead to developing our economic ties with many countries in the Indo-Pacific region, to de-risk our economy and diversify our supply chains.

In this context, the EU has recently signed a free trade agreement with New Zealand and negotiations are ongoing with India, Indonesia, and Thailand. We are engaging also with Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and India to ensure stable and diversified supply chains in the field of digital technologies and have proposed to our Indo-Pacific partners to work together on the sustainable extraction and processing of critical raw materials, necessary for the green and digital transitions.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-agriculture-commissioner-wojciechowski-upbeat-on-india-eu-fta-lauds-indian-farmers-667891">EU Agriculture Commissioner Wojciechowski upbeat on India-EU FTA, lauds Indian farmers</a>

The EU wants also to cooperate more actively with Indo-Pacific countries towards a green and sustainable future. The Green-Blue Alliance with the Pacific islands is helping strengthen their climate resilience. Together with our G7 partners, we have also agreed to Just Energy Transition Partnerships with South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam and the European Investment Bank is already investing €500 million ($540mn) to accelerate Vietnam’s green transition in a way that benefits both people and the planet.

Also watch |&nbsp;FTA agreement would need a paradigm shift: EU Lawmaker | World News | WION

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In short, we are well aware of the crucial importance of the EU’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific region. We are demonstrating it with a Pacific Day in the European Parliament on&nbsp;February 1, highlighting our burgeoning cooperation with our Pacific island partners. The next day, our third Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum will bring together Foreign Ministers from the region and the EU. We will then hold our biennial EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting.

In a world of geopolitical turbulence and great power rivalry, these three high-level meetings illustrate the strong and shared interest that the EU and the Indo-Pacific countries have to cooperate more closely in improving their security, prosperity, and resilience.

Josep Borrell Fontelles is&nbsp;High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)
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At the start of 2024, Europeans are of course deeply concerned by the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and by the conflict that has broken out again in the Middle East.

At the start of 2024, Europeans are of course deeply concerned by the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and by the conflict that has broken out again in the Middle East. However, we are not forgetting the broader picture: the centre of gravity of the world’s economy has shifted to the Indo-Pacific region, with close to 50 per cent of the world’s GDP and 60 per cent of the world’s population. Peace and stability in this region are crucial for Europe and the world. In recent years, the EU has worked steadily to improve its cooperation with the region, in particular by becoming in 2020 a strategic partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), launching its Indo-Pacific strategy in 2021, holding a successful EU- ASEAN Summit in 2022 and adopting the Samoa Agreement with Pacific countries in 2023. We will accelerate the path in 2024. The economic links between the EU and the Indo-Pacific region have reached an impressive level, unimaginable 40 years ago. Maritime routes in the region have become the arteries of the world: every day 2000 ships transport goods across the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea to Europe and back. However, the security environment is deteriorating. Major tensions are rising, from the South China Sea to the Taiwan Strait, the Korean peninsula, and the Red Sea. There is less trust among the main global and regional players; less respect for international law and multilateral agreements; force and coercion are on the rise. We are at risk of going back to a world where "might makes right". The EU intends to counter this trend. Multilateral solutions and regional approaches are in our DNA and we will always defend international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the non-proliferation regime. To defend the rules-based world order, we want to cooperate more closely with our partners committed to multilateralism in the Indo-Pacific region. The EU maintains regular security and defence dialogues with China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, and other nations. However, our cooperation increasingly extends beyond dialogue to concrete and operational activities. Under our Strategic Partnership with ASEAN, security cooperation is also becoming more and more a major component. We are participating with members of ASEAN in regional navy exercises and the navies of our Asian partners are cooperating with us in Operation Atalanta, near the Horn of Africa. These are good examples of what we can do together. To go further, we propose to use our member states’ advanced capabilities to become a “smart security enabler,” helping to build the capacities of our partners in the region on maritime security, cybersecurity, counter-terrorism, and foreign information manipulation and interference. We need each other to help stabilise this world. The challenges we are facing do not allow us any other way than to cooperate closely to help avoid conflicts and ensure respect for international law. To protect freedom of navigation, EU member states are already increasing their deployments between the EU and the Indo-Pacific. The region can count on us as a reliable partner. On the economic side, Russia's aggression against Ukraine has shown us the high cost of the EU’s excessive dependency on Russian gas. We are therefore focusing on improving the EU’s economic security by reducing this type of excessive dependency. However, this does not mean closing our borders. On the contrary, it should lead to developing our economic ties with many countries in the Indo-Pacific region, to de-risk our economy and diversify our supply chains. In this context, the EU has recently signed a free trade agreement with New Zealand and negotiations are ongoing with India, Indonesia, and Thailand. We are engaging also with Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and India to ensure stable and diversified supply chains in the field of digital technologies and have proposed to our Indo-Pacific partners to work together on the sustainable extraction and processing of critical raw materials, necessary for the green and digital transitions. Also read | EU Agriculture Commissioner Wojciechowski upbeat on India-EU FTA, lauds Indian farmers The EU wants also to cooperate more actively with Indo-Pacific countries towards a green and sustainable future. The Green-Blue Alliance with the Pacific islands is helping strengthen their climate resilience. Together with our G7 partners, we have also agreed to Just Energy Transition Partnerships with South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam and the European Investment Bank is already investing €500 million ($540mn) to accelerate Vietnam’s green transition in a way that benefits both people and the planet. Also watch | FTA agreement would need a paradigm shift: EU Lawmaker | World News | WION × In short, we are well aware of the crucial importance of the EU’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific region. We are demonstrating it with a Pacific Day in the European Parliament on February 1, highlighting our burgeoning cooperation with our Pacific island partners. The next day, our third Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum will bring together Foreign Ministers from the region and the EU. We will then hold our biennial EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting. In a world of geopolitical turbulence and great power rivalry, these three high-level meetings illustrate the strong and shared interest that the EU and the Indo-Pacific countries have to cooperate more closely in improving their security, prosperity, and resilience. Josep Borrell Fontelles is High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

The EU and the Indo-Pacific: Partners for a more stable and prosperous world

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India is ‘indispensable’ to Europe’s economic resilience, says EU ahead of 16th Summit with New Delhi

'Not a trade barrier with India': EU official clarifies CBAM's environmental focus

The EU and the Indo-Pacific: Partners for a more stable and prosperous world