A joint intiative of the government of India and the European Commission, this is a unique business-to-business interface with vast opportunities, even if one discounts the breathless superlatives (`amazing', `unbelievable', `marvellous',`fantabulous') used by a previous EU Partenariat participant from India who spoke in Mumbai at an introductory seminar to the forthcoming event.

The EU-India Partenariat '99 which will be held between March 15 and 16 at Pargati Maidan has been described as a business meet to "generate and facilitate business alliances"as EC delegation first secretary Heino Marius put it, and not a fair for goods and services. No products will be exhibited, only samples and panelswillbe used by host companies. It will bring together 400 Indian and 400 European Union (EU) small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to explore different types of business cooperation such as partnerships, joint ventures, collaborations and strategic alliances.

Stressing that SME was not to be confused with the Indian small scale industry (SSI) concept, Fernando Vidal-Folch, project manager of the Partenariat secretariat clarified the definition of SME for this event: a company with annual turnover of upto Rs 180 crores and upto 1000 employees. The minimum number of employees for manufacturing companies has been fixed at 25.

Indian companies will be shortlisted by the secretariat which comprises of Assocham, CII, FICCI and the Council of EU Chambers of Commerce in India. The 400 Indian SMEs will be selected first and then presented in a catalogue (30,000 copies). The 400 shortlisted European counterparts will then travel to India for the Partenariat.

According to Aldo Reggiani, EU-based Partenariatexpert, these events usually have average a success rate of 40 percent. One of the tangible benefits to SMEs would be the pre-event training seminar on how to do business intelligently. "Competition is what we understand well and competition can be learned through these win-win approach sessions," he remarked.

The registration fee is Rs 16,000 payable by demand draft to be sent with the form by July 17 but which will be deposited for clearance only after final selection of applications. In case of non-selection, the draft will be returned before September 15. For information and registration form contact the relevanvt co-organiser as given below or in Mumbai:

Chemicals and plastics processing; software and services - Assocham - Ms Sheela Batra/Ms Rinu Ghosh, ASSOCHAM, 2nd Floor, ALlhababd Bank Building, 17, Parliament Street, New Delhi 110001. Tel: 3360704/49; Fax 3342193, 3734917; email: raghuraman@sansad.nic.in

Electronics and IT hardware; light engineering - CII - Ms Rama Naidu/ Mr Madhav Sharma,CII, Gate No 31, North Block, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi - 3 Tel:4626225/73, Fax: 4647884; email: tradecii@sdalt.ernet.inFood processing and Packaging; envirnomental technology - FICCI - Dr Manju K Prakash/ Mr Vijay Sardana/ Ms Uma Garud, FICCI, Federation House, Tansen Marg, New Delhi -1 Tel: 3738670 - 70 Fax: 3320714, 3721504, email: ficci.bisnet@gems.vsnl.net.in.