He was addressing a seminar here on Friday on EU-India Partenariat 1999, a two-day trade meet, which will begin in New Delhi from March 15 to bring together about 400 Indian and 400 EU small and medium sized enterprises to discuss business partnerships, joint ventures, collaborations and strategic alliances. This initiative by the EC will offer an opportunity to not only meet the largest of European companies to come to India but be part of a promotional effort in the 15 EU countries supported at the highest institutional level.

Marius praised the initiatives taken by successive governments at the centre to remove inspector raj and open up the economy. He said that chemicals and plastic processing, among others, would be covered during thetwo day event.