The Europe-India Association was set up as an apolitical non-profit organisation to encourage dialogue among business leaders, scholars, politicians and enthusiasts from these countries.
Who we are
Consolidating the unique relationship between the European Union and India
Ready to grasp the opportunities offered by the challenges distinguishing the relationship with India, the Association has decided to extend its activities to Europe, continuing to act as a place of institutional, economic and cultural exchange between the European Union and the Indian world, as part of the process of strengthening the strategic partnership, revived by the recent EU-India Summit on 15 July 2020.
The new EU-India Association – set up on 14 September 2020 – aims to strengthen bilateral relations between the European Union and India, by promoting mutual understanding.
The project took root in December 2007, when the Hon. Sandro Gozi took over from Hon. Sergio Mattarella as President of what was renamed the Italy-India Association.
Sandro Gozi
President
EU India Association
I was born on 25 March 1968 in Sogliano sul Rubicone (Forlì-Cesena). In 2006 I was elected a Member of Parliament of the Italian Republic and was re-elected in 2008.
At the Chamber of Deputies, I am the Democratic Party’s group leader for the Commission for European Union Policies and I am the national leader for European Policies.
In the past legislature I was President of the Parliamentary Committee on Schengen, Europol and Immigration, member of the Institutional Affairs Commission (replacing President Romano Prodi) and of the Commission for European Union Policies, as well as Advisor to the Prime Minister for the definition of the content and organisation of the celebrations for the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome.
I have been a member of the Italian diplomatic corps, and I have worked in the European Parliament and the European Commission, in particular as a member of the Cabinet of the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, and then as European Policy Advisor to the current President, José Manuel Durato Barroso.
Governing Board and organs
Three personalities who have made friendship with India
a core value.
President
Sandro Gozi
A sports enthusiast, he takes part in numerous squash tournaments in Italy and abroad. In March 2003 he won the title of Italian Squash Champion, NC category, in Verona. A member of the Montecitorio Running Club since 2006, he runs the New York Marathon and other marathons every year.
Vice President
Roney Simon
Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy (formerly Star of Italian Solidarity), Roney Simon is a successful strategic advisor and for this was appointed President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Secretary General
Matteo Ribaldi
After graduating in Political Science and International Relations from the Sapienza University in Rome, Matteo Ribaldi obtained a second level International Master’s Degree in EU Policy and Law from Luiss Guido Carli University. He has worked in the public sector, in the Technical Secretariat of the Department for European Policies, and then in the private sector, as a senior consultant in a major Italian public affairs firm.
Our story
Since 2007 a reference point for cultural and commercial exchanges between Italy and India
From 2007, the Italy-India Association has rapidly emerged as a point of reference for the respective business, cultural and institutional spheres, participating in major events like the Spoleto Festival, the Turin International Book Festival (in partnership with the Indian Embassy), and the River to River Florence Indian film festival.
The Association has also sponsored theatrical entertainment (“Bollywood the Show” at the Teatro Olimpico in Rome and the Teatro Arcimboldi in Milan), promoted studies and publications (such as the special issue “Pianeta India” with Limes), organised book presentations (“Fratelli di sangue” by M.J. Akbar), and taken part in numerous conferences (including in India, with the magazine Reset as part of the “Dialogues on Civilization”).
In May 2020, the Association co-organised a webinar on the commercial future and economic opportunities for Indo-Italian cooperation after Covid-19. The Association also hosted a discussion, bringing together some of India’s leading experts, including the respective ambassadors.
