By DPA
Brussels : The European Union (EU) and Iraqi officials began talks Tuesday in Brussels aimed at improving trade relations between the two sides.
The negotiations, set to end by Thursday, were expected to focus on issues like energy, environment, limited trade provisions, human rights, science and technology and security, weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and counter terrorism.
Discussions on human rights, terrorism and WMD are now a standard element of any trade agreement between the EU and third countries, European Commission officials note.
This is the third round of Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) talks between the EU and Iraq since they were launched in November 2006.
Such negotiations are open-ended and normally take place twice a year. The last round was held in June and EU officials say they expect no major breakthrough from this round.
Officials in Brussels note that the talks are mainly designed to improve Iraq’s “capacity building” and allow Iraqi officials to get to know how the EU works in view of closer trade ties in the future.
While trade levels between the EU and Iraq are below their pre-conflict levels, the EU remains Iraq’s second trade partner after the US.
EU exports to Iraq were valued at 1.235 billion euros ($1.83 billion) in 2006, well below the levels reached in the 1980s and 1990s, according to the latest EU data available.
EU exports to Iraq include machinery, assorted manufactured articles, chemical products and food and live animals.
The EU has contributed more than 800 million euros ($1.19 billion) towards the reconstruction of Iraq since 2003.
A number of EU businesses, particularly from the energy sector, have already started operations in oil-rich Iraq.