Baghdad: The President of the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce, Amer Al-Fahdawi, engaged in discussions with the European Union Ambassador to Iraq, Clemens Semtner, focusing on a memorandum of understanding and the Iraqi-European Business Forum. The discussions aimed at exploring ways to enhance trade and economic cooperation with the active participation of Iraqi institutions.

According to Iraqi News Agency, the Federation of Chambers issued a statement highlighting an expanded meeting at the Federation’s headquarters in Baghdad. The meeting gathered officials and representatives from Iraqi economic and government sectors alongside members of the European Union Mission in Iraq. The agenda revolved around prospects for strengthening economic and trade ties between Iraq and Europe.

The gathering included notable figures such as Amer Al-Fahdawi, EU Ambassador Clemens Semtner, Wim Rimba from the EU Projects Department, and several directors and deputy directors from Iraq’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting also featured representatives from the International Chamber of Commerce in Iraq and the National Investment Authority, alongside program directors from the EU Mission.

The Federation emphasized the meeting’s objective to bolster trade and economic partnerships between Iraq’s private and governmental sectors and to foster joint cooperation with the European Union and international organizations. The discussions also aimed to boost commercial activities in Iraq and spotlight investment projects to attract foreign investments, aligning with the Iraqi government’s goals for the Development Road project.

Key areas of focus included the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Iraq and the EU, the National Investment Map, the Jobs Project for private-sector development, and Iraq’s WTO accession process, in collaboration with the International Trade Centre. Other topics included commercial arbitration, business integrity, and corporate social responsibility, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme.

Several future projects and initiatives were proposed, targeting fields such as the digital economy, sustainable and smart cities, digital transformation, and private-sector capacity-building programs for companies and entrepreneurs. These initiatives aim to expand Iraqi-European cooperation and support Iraq’s transition to a more competitive and sustainable economy.

The Federation pointed out discussions on activating the memorandum of understanding with EUROCHAMBRES and enhancing European participation in the Iraqi-European Business Forum, part of the Iraqi National Trade and Investment Forum (INTF2026). These efforts seek to strengthen ties between Iraqi and European business communities, broaden trade and investment cooperation, and foster partnerships between companies from both regions.