Baku, Azerbaijan, June 8
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The European Union (EU) and Azerbaijan are very interested to further enhance the economic cooperation, Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Malena Mard told reporters June 8 on the sidelines of the EU-Azerbaijan Business Forum.
“We are organizing the 3rd EU-Azerbaijan business forum. As you see, we have over 400 participants from over 300 companies. Of course, I think, this is a very clear signal that there is a large interest between the EU and Azerbaijan to even further enhance trade and economic cooperation,” she said.
Mard pointed out that the EU is the largest trade partner and the major investor including in the non-oil sector in Azerbaijan.
“Of course, we want to work with Azerbaijan on the diversification and reform agenda,” she added.
Mard reminded that the EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn will visit Azerbaijan on June 16.
EU countries accounted for 38 percent of Azerbaijan’s total trade turnover in the first four months of 2017.
Currently, over 1,300 European companies operate in the country.
To date, Azerbaijan has signed double taxation avoidance agreements with 23 EU countries and agreements on the promotion and protection of investments with 17 EU countries. Moreover, Azerbaijan has intergovernmental commissions with 13 countries and has signed strategic partnership agreements with seven EU countries.
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