The Commission, working through successive cooperation agreements, has thus gradually built up a range of instruments to facilitate cooperation between European and Indian companies, such as the Asia Invest Programme, the brand-new Economic Cross-Cultural Programme, the Management Exchange and Cooperation Programme, the EBICs (European Business Information Centres), a number of funds to promote investment, and so on.

Operators from 30 European countries are currently participating in the "Culture 2000" Programme: the 25 Member States of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom), the three countries of the European Economic Area (EEA - Iceland ...[+++], Liechtenstein, Norway) and the candidate countries (Bulgaria and Romania).

This Regulation replaces Commission Regulation (EC) No 1628/94 of 4 July 1994 establishing the first cross-border cooperation programme and pursues similar aims, in particular economic development in the border regions of central and eastern European countries and greater convergence of their level of development with that of the European Union.

* * * As far as economic cooperation is concerned, European Union assistance is aimed at : . promoting industrial competitiveness and market penetration in sectors where mutual interests of European Union and Indian businesses complement each other; . improving horizontal aspects such as standards through a national accreditation scheme, technology informations through the setting up of a technology information centre, and sustainable institution- building which are linked with the above sectors or which are perceived to provide future potential for cooperation and trade; . ...[+++] business to business cooperation and joint ventures of the European India and Indian private sector through the European Union-India Business Forum and ECIP; . reinforcing liberalisation efforts such as in maritime transport, facilitating access to business information and a better understanding on the implications and opportunities of the unified European Market; . reinforcing energy efficiency and related technology transfer through the EC-India Energy Management Centre; . strengthening the value of tourism as an employment opportunity in the form of eco-tourism, including game park and cultural tourism; . assisting specific industrial sectors of interest such as automotive components and upgrading of automotive, electrical appliances and food processing laboratories; . protecting the environmental from industrial pollution; . reinforcing mutual understanding of respective economic, social and cultural environment as a basis for effective cooperation, through linkages of training and higher education institutions, visits of journalists and cultural performances, films, etc.

The principal objective of the Agreement is to enhance and develop cooperation, focussed in particular on : . facilitation of better mutual understanding and strengthening of ties between the two regions in respect of technical, economic and cultural matters; . further development and diversification of trade and investment in their mutual interest, taking into account their respective economic situations; . building up of India's economic capability to interact more effectively with the European Union; . acceleration of the pace o ...[+++]f India's economic development, supporting India's efforts in building up its economic capabilities, by way of provision of resources and technical assistance by the Community within the framework of its cooperation policies and regulations, in particular to improve the living conditions of the poorer sections of the populations; . development in their mutual interest of existing and new forms of economic cooperation directed at promoting and facilitating exchanges and connections between their business communities, taking into account the implementation of Indian economic reforms and opportunities for the creation of a suitable environment for investment; . support of environmental protection and sustainable management of natural resources.

The newly launched EU-India Economic Cross-Cultural Programme will lay the basis for a much greater mutual understanding with media, academic and business aspects.