Page 42 - Chemexcil NEWS August - September 2017 for web
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we need to have a picture about this because which will provide feeds for this policy review,
only when you have a picture, you will plan to Sitharaman said, adding that it would also “tell us
help them… all this is possible only when you what measures we have to take to which industry,
understand the impact of what this revolution to what level on robotics, on artificial intelligence
is going to be. So, we are doing this review of and Internet ofThings”.
policies,” the minister explained.
(Source: http://www.financialexpress.com/economy/
The commerce and industry ministry has recently industrial-manufacturing-policies-up-for-review-says-minister-
constituted a task force on artificial intelligence, nirmala-sitharaman/834901/ dated 31st August-2017)
19. INDIA-EUROPEAN FTA TALKS THIS MONTH
India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) will meet this month in an attempt to conclude
their long pending negotiations, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said here on Friday.
So far, 16 rounds of negotiations have taken place,
talks for which started in 2008. The two sides
resumed talks on the agreement here in January
after a gap of three years
The proposed agreement covers trade in goods
and services, investments, trade facilitation,
customs cooperation, IRPR protection and public
procurement.
India and the European Free Trade Association “We want to bring the EFTA free trade negotiations
(EFTA) will meet this month in an attempt to con- going on since 2008 to an end and we hope that
clude their long pending negotiations, Commerce this visit, and the push by Prime Minister Narendra
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said here on Friday. Modi for the FTA, will help the Minister conclude
“Together with the EFTA countries (Switzerland, the pending issues on the agreement,” Leuthard
Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), we want to go said in her address.
ahead with the FTA,” Sitharaman said at a busi-
ness session with Swiss President Doris Leuthard “For India to benefit, she has to compete with
organised by industry chambers Ficci, CII and As- other Asian countries with whom we are also
socham. negotiating. You can compete only by further
opening up your economy.
“We’ll meet in September and want it (FTA)
concluded for the benefit of both,” she said. “We Swiss are reliable partners of India and we
would like a trade agreement and investment
She also said that India would look into “every protection framework,” the President added,
concern” of foreign investors on intellectual noting that this year marked the 70th anniversary
property rights (IPR) and investment protection. of Indo-Swiss cooperation. The India-EFTA
“Investment protection is being negotiated,” the bilateral trade was worth $19 billion in 2016-17,
minister said. which was lower than the trade value of $21.5
billion in 2015-16.
(Source: http://www.financialexpress.com/economy/india-
european-fta-talks-this-month/836556/ dated 1st Sept-2017)
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