The round table resolved to action the following:

1. Defra will facilitate discussions between the European Commission and Indian regulators about the changes required to enable the ban to be lifted.

2. Defra could provide training and technical advice to the Indian authorities and exporters (if requested) in EU phytosanitary procedures and certification requirements, both in the short term as they prepare for the FVO visit in September and in the longer term.

Uday Dholakia Chairman of NABA said “between gold plating regulation and free for all, the United Kingdom ought to strive for intelligent regulation that encompassed all the stakeholders. I am most indebted to Lord de Mauley for the meeting and supporting the British Asian businesses and kindly offering the support of UK regulators to closely partner with Indian regulators to develop best practice in preparation for the EU FVO visit in September 2014, and to offer a follow up roundtable meeting in London within two months”.

Prof Samir Dani said that 'the fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain between India and the UK is a unique supply chain as it includes mainly Asian companies on both sides. Effective communication and training regarding EU phytosanitary requirements is necessary at the Indian export end to provide the necessary assurances to the EU commission'.

Dr Gunveena Chadha, Director and Head CII -UK said "EU authorities ban on imports of Indian mangoes without any meaningful official consultation with India has raised severe concerns in India. While the government authorities in India have already implemented a new system to improve certificates and standards and experts are looking at options of hot water dipping treatment to manage contamination of the fruit, the Industry is of the view that this treatment affects the taste of the fruit. Besides, the cost of infrastructure required for this treatment is prohibitive especially for small exporters. The Confederation of Indian Industry suggests bilateral consultation between EU and India as the way forward to work out a proper mechanism to deal with the problem”.

Sidharth Birla, President, FICCI said "The ban imposed by the EU on the import of selected fruits and vegetables from India was an unfortunate development. We welcome the talks with the UK government to deal with such a situation through discussion. In particular, we welcome the willingness to provide technical assistance to Indian exporters where required and put a renewed emphasis on clear communication channels."

Monica Bhandari of Fruity Fresh (Western) Ltd said “This meeting has been a positive step forward, with Lord de Mauley and his team agreeing to facilitate positive discussions and action on this issue. We hope that with the help of Fera and Defra and measures put in place by the Indian authorities, we will be able to achieve a successful FVO visit in September, minimal interceptions of goods coming into the EU and the common goal of the ban being lifted.”