TCCIM Hosts Iran-Austria Business Forum

Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture hosted a forum attended by 25 businesspeople from Austria’s Vorarlberg Commerce Chamber and their Iranian counterparts on Monday.

Representatives from a wide range of Austrian industries, including construction, petrochemical, textile, machinery, medical equipment and hospitality, attended the event, IRNA reported.

“Austrian economic players are here for a strong, long-term presence,” said the president of the Economic Chambers of Vorarlberg and the head of the visiting delegation, Helmut Steurer.

Vorarlberg is the westernmost federal state of Austria. Although it has the second-smallest area and population in the country, it has the second-highest population density after Vienna.

“Vorarlberg exports 60% of its products,” Steurer said, adding that cooperation between Austrian and Iranian companies will not be limited to exports, as it stresses on foreign direct investment.

Austrian Ambassador to Tehran Friedrich Stift, who was also present at the meeting, said Austria is planning to open a bank in Iran to help promote bilateral economic relations.

“Austria grants long-term multiple visas to Iranian companies ‘it is familiar with’ for one year,” he added.

“A 35-member Iranian delegation led by TCCIM President Masoud Khansari will visit Austrian Carinthia and Styria in mid-November,” announced the deputy head of Tehran chamber, Mehdi Jahangiri.

According to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Customs Administration, Iran exported $13.6 million worth of goods to Austria in the last Iranian year (March 2015-16), registering a 76% compared to the year before.

Last year’s imports from the European country to Iran stood at $212 million, down 32% year-on-year.

IRICA’s latest data show Iran exported 1,400 tons of non-oil goods valued at $6.3 million to Austria during the seven months of the current Iranian year (March 20-October 21), which indicates a 4% decline in value compared with the similar period of a year before.

Food supplements, carpets, molybdenum, raisins, dates, beans, vegetables and handicrafts were among the main exported commodities.

More than 102,000 tons of goods valued at $124.7 million were imported from the European country to Iran during the seven-month period, registering a 10% rise compared with last year’s corresponding period.

Imports mainly included pharmaceuticals, corn fodder, industrial machinery, paper and livestock.