Head of Iran's Business Center in the European Union announced on Saturday that trade delegations from 10 European countries will travel to the Islamic Republic by mid-March to make joint ventures.
"Ten trade delegations from the European Union, including those from Hungary, Germany, Italy, France, and the Nordics, will visit Iran in the next six months," Shahrokh Mirza-Hosseini told a press conference in Iran Chamber of Commerce in Tehran, Fars News Agency reported.
The official noted that Iran's Business Center in the European Union was set up under the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran to bolster trade exchanges with the world and facilitate foreign investments by providing information about investment opportunities in Iran.
"The center has established a large database to provide foreign investors full information about investment projects in Iran," he said, adding, "Foreign investment applicants can visit www.tcoi.eu for further information."
Mirza-Hosseini underscored that Iran favors import of industrial machineries and know-how rather than finished products, and said European investors can engage in joint ventures with Iranians in sectors such as agriculture, nanotechnology, biotechnology, renewables, banking, insurance, mining, tourism, medicine, engineering, and construction materials.
In March, the European Commission's statistical office, Eurostat, reported that Iran's exports to the EU member states grew by 48 percent in 2014 compared to a year earlier.
Iran's exports to the EU member states rose from about €780 million ($842 million) in 2013, to over €1.16 billion ($1.25 billion) in 2014, showing a 48-percent growth.
Meanwhile, Iran's imports from the EU in 2014 rose only by 18 percent compared to 2013, and reached over €6.40 billion ($6.91 billion).
Iran and the EU states recorded over €7.56 billion (US$8.16 billion) in trade turnover in 2014, showing an increase of 21 percent compared to the figure for 2013.
The report also listed Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Lithuania, Sweden, Austria and England as Iran's major trade partners in 2014, in descending order.
Germany, Italy, France and Belgium were the biggest exporters respectively, while Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Netherlands were the main importers of Iranian goods and services.