Says Nuria Lopez, founding Chairperson of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (EuroCham)
By Imtiaz Ahmed and Samia Tabassum
Nuria Lopez, a Spanish entrepreneur and the founding chairperson of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (EuroCham), in an interview with a group of journalists said that European Union (EU) member countries have a strong interest in supporting the development of Bangladesh’s aviation sector, and Airbus should have the opportunity to compete on equal terms.
Given that the EU is Bangladesh’s largest export market and that the EU’s trade deficit with Bangladesh is more than three times that of the United States, I believe it would send a very positive signal if future procurement decisions reflected the strategic importance of the EU–Bangladesh partnership, said Nuria Lopez.
Nuria Lopez is a Spanish entrepreneur and the founding chairperson of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (EuroCham), established in December 2024 to strengthen trade and sustainable investment between the EU and Bangladesh. As Managing Director of Zalo Knitting Limited, she brings over three decades of business expertise in the country. Under her leadership, EuroCham advocates for investor-friendly reforms, including stable energy tariffs, streamlined approvals, and green infrastructure development. She plays a pivotal role in fostering EU–Bangladesh economic collaboration and advancing commercially sustainable, resilient growth….
The rest part of the interview is given below:
Questions. BNP Chairperson Mr. Tarique Rahman is the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh. How do you see Dhaka-Brussels relations with the new government in Bangladesh in the coming days? What are your expectations of the new government?
Answer: With less than five months in office, it would not be fair to judge the new government. Some of its messages are encouraging and point in the right direction, but words now need to be translated into action.
One of the challenges Bangladesh has faced is that good policies and regulations have not always been fully implemented. That is what we need to see change.
I will be in a better position to answer after September, when we begin discussions with the government on non-tariff barriers. These are, in essence, reforms to modernise and simplify the business environment. Their willingness to address these issues will be an important indicator of their commitment to improving the investment climate.
Questions: Bangladesh has signed an EPA with Japan this year. Some ASEAN countries have started dialogues on the FTA with Bangladesh. How EU member–countries are going ahead with Bangladesh on signing an FTA?
Answer. The EU, not the individual member states, negotiates Free Trade Agreements with third countries.
The EU Delegation in Bangladesh has played an important role in putting a future EU–Bangladesh FTA on the agenda. However, it is still only an intention. What we need now is the formal start of negotiations, with negotiating teams beginning the discussions.
The EU is already negotiating with Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, while advancing its CEPA with Indonesia. India and Vietnam already have FTAs with the EU.
Bangladesh has signed an EPA with Japan this year, and FTA discussions have also started with several ASEAN countries. We should start negotiations with the EU immediately. An FTA takes years to negotiate, and we cannot afford to spend our post-LDC graduation transition period without making significant progress towards an agreement with our largest export market.
Question: EU member countries like to sell Airbus to Bangladesh. What is the progress of talks on the procurement of Airbus by Bangladesh?
Answer: I believe Bangladesh should ensure a level playing field for all major international manufacturers. Europe has a strong interest in supporting the development of Bangladesh’s aviation sector, and Airbus should have the opportunity to compete on equal terms.
Given that the EU is Bangladesh’s largest export market and that the EU’s trade deficit with Bangladesh is more than three times that of the United States, I believe it would send a very positive signal if future procurement decisions reflected the strategic importance of the EU–Bangladesh partnership.
Such a decision would demonstrate Bangladesh’s commitment to treating its major economic partners fairly. A competitive market is always healthier than a monopoly, and I hope future procurement decisions will provide Airbus with the opportunity to become an integral part of Bangladesh’s aviation sector.
Question. What is the present trade volume between Bangladesh and the EU at present? How do you see the bilateral trade between two countries in the next 5 years?
Answer: In 2025, Bangladesh exported approximately €21.2 billion to the EU and imported around €2.1 billion, bringing total bilateral trade to about €23.3 billion. The EU remains Bangladesh’s largest trading partner and export market.
Looking ahead, I believe this relationship can continue to grow, but its future will depend on Bangladesh’s graduation, commitment to reforms, a more business-friendly investment environment, and the predictability that an EU–Bangladesh FTA would provide to investors and buyers.
Question. The government has been working on improving the business environment in Bangladesh. How do you see the business environment in Bangladesh?
Answer: To attract significantly higher levels of foreign direct investment, the new government should now focus on a strong modernization agenda. Creating a more predictable, transparent and business-friendly environment will be essential for Bangladesh’s next stage of economic development.
Question: Bangladesh has become a mid-income group country. How do you see Bangladesh’s economic success over the last 54 years?
Answer: Bangladesh’s economic success over the past 54 years has been remarkable and is rightly recognized around the world. However, its impressive economic growth has outpaced the modernization of other key areas such as logistics, energy, infrastructure and the overall business environment. The next challenge is to accelerate these reforms while diversifying the economy beyond the garment sector to sustain long-term growth.
Question: The government of Bangladesh is working hard to improve the business environment with a view to wooing foreign direct investment (FDI). Foreign direct investment (FDI) flow to Bangladesh suffered last year against the background of political turmoil. Do you see more Spanish investment in Bangladesh, particularly in the power and energy sectors? How do you evaluate the investment climate in Bangladesh?
Answer: Bangladesh has always attracted less European FDI than its potential would suggest. The main reason has not been a lack of interest, but rather the challenges of the business environment, including regulatory complexity, non-tariff barriers, legal uncertainty and the overall ease of doing business.
I believe there are opportunities for greater European investment, particularly in energy, infrastructure, and other strategic sectors. However, attracting that investment will require a strong modernization agenda that creates a more predictable, transparent and investor-friendly business environment.
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