21-10-02 The Director General for Energy and Transport of the European Commission, Francois Lamoureux said that the European Union has to supply some 40 % of its natural gas needs from outside sources, adding that the Islamic Republic of Iran, given its vast gas reserves, can play a significant role in that regard.
Speaking at a one-day conference in Tehran entitled “Iran's natural gas trade opportunities”, Lamoureux said Iran's efforts to build infrastructure to transfer its natural gas to EU states would have mutual benefits for both sides. In related news, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh urged EU countries to participate in Iran's projects to expand its natural gas industries and to upgrade Iran's expertise in the area of compressed natural gas (CNG).

Addressing the conference, Zanganeh voiced Iran's interest in cooperating with the EU to develop a stable market of energy resources, the geography of which is currently being changed. He said that EU states enjoy the privilege of geographical proximity with the Islamic Republic and can be a good market for Iranian energy resources, adding that they have thus far enjoyed a better partnership with Iranian oil and gas industries in the absence of major US oil corporations.
Also, Iran and the European Union earlier announced that they have opened a joint office in Tehran to boost cooperation on oil and energy issues. The Energy Cooperation Centre (ECC), which opened in the Iranian capital, will help the Islamic Republic develop non-nuclear energy technologies and is backed by EUR 1.7 mm in EU funds.

The ECC's specific objectives are establishing a contact point between the energy sectors of the EU and Iran, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on non-nuclear energy technologies, providing training, identifying priority projects, and providing technical assistance for the introduction of advanced non-nuclear technologies in Iran.