TUV Austria Group's Chief Executive Officer Dr Stefan Haas while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday stressed the need for further strengthening trade ties between the two countries so that existing potential could be fully exploited. TUV Austria Group's Head of International Business Management Dr Reinhard Preiss and Chief Executive Officer of TUV Austria Bureau of Inspection and Certification Pakistan Rashid Mehr also spoke on this occasion.
He also emphasised for evolving conducive policies to promote trade relations between Pakistan and Austria. He urged the Pakistani businessmen to enter into joint ventures with their counterparts to improve trade volume between the two countries. He said Austrian oil and gas company OMV has already become the largest investor in Pakistan."
While highlighting foreign direct investment in the oil and gas sector, Dr Stefan Haas said that Pakistan received over US 500 million dollars investment in first seven months of 2013-2014 while oil and gas sector attracted the highest amount of investment of over US 250 million dollars. About the TUV Austria Group, he said it is a multi million euro company and expanding aggressively into Asia and intends to further expand its operation in the South Asian region, particularly Bangladesh and Sri Lanka through Pakistan.
Dr Stefan Haas said that TUV Austria is very keen to further strengthen its position in Pakistan and wants to take complete advantage of the prospects available in Pakistan. Other important companies and brands from Austria that already exist in Pakistan include OMV, Red Bull and Swarovski, he added. He further added that Pakistan is an attractive place to invest for the European investors, particularly for the Austrian companies. TUV Austria Group's CEO also stressed the need for exchange of business delegations and holding single-country exhibition in each other's country which would help promote trade ties between Austria and Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Rashid Mehr said that TUV Austria Bureau of Inspection and Certification is another highly successful business venture of Austria in Pakistan with hundreds of clients across Pakistan and has proven to be extremely successful for TUV Austria Group, hundreds of its employees in Pakistan and the local shareholders.
Mehr said the statistics for the year 2013-2014 showed Austrian investors' interest in Pakistan, particularly in oil and gas sector. It gives TUV Austria an opportunity to offer its unmatched and high quality services to the oil and gas sector in the area of Occupational Health, Safety, Environment, Technical Inspection, Construction Supervision Services & Technical Trainings. Moreover, TUV Austria wants to offer its internationally recognised certification services to the industry at large in the fields of ISO 9000, ISO 14000, ISO 18000, Food Safety Certification services. Certification from TUV Austria will help the local industry to compete both internationally and locally, he added.