Trade and Technology Council

History

2022: EU and India conclude IT union

On April 26, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the creation of the 'Trade and Technology Council' between India and the EU - a high-level strategic treaty to solve key trade, economic and technological problems. Previously, this structure was created by the EU only to strengthen relations with the United States.

Details of the scope of the Council are not disclosed, but the EU-US version is working on standards for emerging technologies, technology supply chains (including semiconductors), information security, data management, preventing the misuse of technologies if they pose a threat to security and human rights, as well as SME access to and use of digital technologies.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Sources familiar with the development of events said that TTS will promote cooperation in such high-tech areas as 5G, quantum computing, climate modeling, development of solutions in the field of health and green energy. The EU sent India a proposal to create a TransTeleCom in the second half of April 2022, and New Delhi quickly accepted it, given the strategic importance of this treaty. "Today our relationship is more important than ever. We have so much in common, "said von der Leyen in her opening remarks during a meeting with Modi.

The Partnership also includes:

• Better coordination of strategies to mitigate the impact of contemporary persistent threats and cooperation in combating cybercrime;
• The recognition of UN norms that call for a ban on the use of information technologies for intentional damage or deterioration of critical infrastructure, and imply an obligation to "respond to appropriate requests to mitigate harmful ICT activities aimed at the critical infrastructure of another state emanating from its territory";
• Commitment to work with the International Initiative to Combat Extortion Software, as well as to develop UN plans to develop a concept to combat cybercrime;
• Partnership to work on mutual cyber resilience;
• Commitment to cooperate with technology providers to ensure the safety of their products and services for consumers.

The creation of the Council promotes and reaffirms the Techade strategy, which provides for the country to become a power for the production of semiconductors, and also raises India to a level that is used only by the United States when it comes to technology with Europe.

I think about three main topics - trade, technology and security. Therefore, I am glad that today Prime Minister Modi and I agreed to create the EU-India Trade and Technology Council, "von der Leyen said at a meeting with Modi. So far, the EU has only had one TTS - with the United States, and I consider it indicative that we are now creating a second one with India. Including because India is a technology power, and in the trade sector we need to unlock huge untapped potential, "she said.

We share the idea that privacy should be guaranteed both online and offline, and that technology should strengthen individual freedom, not the ability of the state to control us.[1]

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