Brussels, Sep 23 (IANS) The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will organise a “Trade and Development Workshop” at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi Thursday, EuAsiaNews reported.
At the workshop, nine EESC members will be joined by more than one hundred representatives from Indian civil society organisations to discuss two main issues: the ongoing negotiations for an European Union (EU)-India Free Trade Agreement and the link between trade and poverty alleviation, focusing on employment and environment.

Keynote speakers will include EU chief negotiator Ignacio Garcia Bercero and Sweden’s ambassador to India Lars-Olof Lindgren, who will represent Sweden’s presidency of the EU Council, according to a statement issued by the EESC here Tuesday.

This event has been organised with the support of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), as part of the work of the EU-India Civil Society Round Table.

The aim of this event is to inform the civil society about trade negotiations, raise awareness about potential impact of trade liberalisation between the EU and India, highlight potential developments, and to hear how civil society’s different socio-economic groups view the issue.

Prior to the workshop, the nine EESC members will meet several Indian civil society organisations in the course of bilateral meetings.

The Brussels-based EESC is a consultative body that gives representatives of Europe’s socio-occupational interest groups, and others, a formal platform to express their points of views on EU issues.

The EU-India Civil Society Round Table provides a forum for civil society cooperation and contributes to the enhancement of bilateral relations between India and the EU.