A senior European Union delegation and representatives of major European companies met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday, expressing confidence in expanding trade and investment relations with Pakistan during discussions held alongside the EU-Pakistan Business Forum.

The delegation was led by Peteris Ustubs, Director (Asia Pacific) at the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships, and included Thourya Triki of the European Investment Bank as well as senior executives from firms including Adidas, Andritz and IKEA. EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis also attended the meeting.

PM Shehbaz assured the delegation of Pakistan’s “continuous, serious efforts” to facilitate trade and investment with the European Union, describing the bloc as Pakistan’s largest trading partner and the main destination for its exports.

He said the government remained committed to stabilising the economy despite regional challenges, including recent volatility in global oil prices linked to tensions in the Middle East.

The prime minister welcomed the delegation’s participation in the EU-Pakistan Business Forum and expressed hope it would help deepen economic engagement between the two sides. He also referred to recent telephone conversations with European Council President Antonio Costa, in which regional security and bilateral ties were discussed.

EU officials and business representatives appreciated Pakistan’s cooperation in hosting the forum and said there was significant potential to expand business-to-business cooperation in sectors including energy, communications and information technology.

They said more than 600 B2B meetings are expected on the sidelines of the forum.

Senior Pakistani officials, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and other cabinet members, also attended the meeting.