Europe Steps Up Presence at Middle East Energy 2025
The Middle East Energy 2025 exhibition at the Dubai World Trade Centre is witnessing a record-breaking turnout from European companies, reinforcing the event's reputation as a global hub for energy innovation, collaboration, and market expansion.
Representatives from various European pavilions have lauded the event's strategic importance, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) aiming to enter the Gulf, African, and Asian markets. With a shared focus on forging partnerships and exploring the latest in energy technology, European delegations are using the platform to strengthen their global footprint.
Germany leads this year's European presence with its largest delegation to date. 'We have 85 companies here, covering everything from cabling and electrical insulation to renewables and precision electronics,'
said Heike Schöttler, Director of Global Trade Fairs at AUMA. She noted that while some companies target the UAE and GCC, others see Dubai as a launchpad into Africa and India.
Italy's delegation, coordinated by ANIE Federazione, includes 37 companies within its pavilion, alongside several independent participants. 'We're here to support SMEs and to facilitate networking, knowledge sharing, and trend analysis—not just commercial deals,'
said Alice Bertazzoli, Senior Professional at ANIE.
Austria and the Czech Republic have also reinforced their participation. Austria is represented by 10 companies, continuing a longstanding presence at the event. 'Our goal is to connect with current clients and discover new partners,'
said Christian Kien, Project Manager.
Meanwhile, Czech companies are showcasing advanced solar, connectivity, and energy solutions. 'Middle East Energy is a key gateway for our firms to expand regionally,'
said Marcela Klinekova from the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The surge in European participation underscores Dubai's growing stature in the global energy landscape.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Dubai Eye
2 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
US announces pick for NATO's next Supreme Allied Commander
President Donald Trump's administration announced on Thursday its nomination for the next top US general in Europe and said the US military officer would also assume the traditional role of Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Trump's decision to nominate US Air Force Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich to both roles, which was first reported by Reuters, will relieve European NATO allies and even some of Trump's fellow Republicans amid concerns about a retrenchment in American military leadership of NATO. Grynkewich must be confirmed by the US Senate. The position of SACEUR, which oversees all NATO operations in Europe, has been filled by a US general since its creation after World War Two. US Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower became the alliance's first SACEUR in 1951. Still, since taking office in January, Trump's administration has pressured NATO allies to ramp up their defense spending, saying Europe should be primarily responsible for defense on the European continent. Trump has also said he wants NATO allies to boost investment in defence to 5 per cent of gross domestic product, up from the current target of 2 per cent. Speaking at NATO headquarters earlier on Thursday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he was confident that members of the NATO alliance would agree to a major boost in defense spending. No country is yet at 5 per cent, not even the US, but Hegseth said there was progress on agreeing to the target. "I'm very encouraged by what we heard in there," Hegseth said after a morning meeting of NATO defense ministers on Thursday in Brussels. "Countries in there are well exceeding 2 per cent and we think very close, almost near consensus, on a 5 per cent commitment to NATO." Grynkewich, who is now the director for operations at the US military's Joint Staff, would succeed Army General Christopher Cavoli, who has been in the role since shortly after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, helping oversee billions of dollars in U.S. security assistance to Kyiv.
Middle East Eye
5 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Arab states received 12 percent of Israeli arms exports in 2024 amid surge in arms sales
Israel's Ministry of Defence announced on Wednesday that arms exports by Israeli companies reached an all-time high in 2024, totalling $14.8bn. 'The unprecedented operational achievements, combined with the combat experience gained through Israeli-developed technologies during the war, have generated significant demand for Israeli defence systems among numerous countries,' the ministry stated, attributing the surge in exports to the ongoing military offensive on Gaza, which began in October 2023. According to TheMarker, arms exports rose by 13 percent compared to 2023, when exports stood at $13.1 billion. The 2024 figure represents roughly 10 percent of Israel's total exports of goods and services, according to data published by the outlet. This marks a record year for Israeli arms exports, which have more than doubled over the past five years; in 2019, total exports amounted to $7.3bn. Europe emerged as the primary destination for Israeli arms, accounting for 54 percent of total purchases – up nearly 20 percentage points from 2023, when European countries made up 35 percent of Israel's arms export market. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters In 2024, European states bought nearly $8bn worth of Israeli military products, compared to $4.6bn in 2023, according to the Ministry of Defence. Beyond Europe, another significant destination for Israeli arms in 2024 was the group of countries that normalised relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords. Combined arms sales to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan reached $1.8bn – equivalent to 12 percent of Israel's total arms exports. In contrast, there has been a marked decline in exports to Asian and Latin American countries. In 2024, Asian nations purchased $3.4bn worth of Israeli weapons, down from $6.3bn the previous year. According to TheMarker, the drop is attributed to major arms deals signed in 2023 with India and Azerbaijan that were not repeated in 2024. The surge in arms exports comes amid Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza, now approaching its 20th month, which has resulted in the deaths of over 54,000 Palestinians and destroyed most of the Palestinian enclave. In recent months, Israel has faced mounting international criticism – particularly from European partners – over Gaza, including allegations of using starvation as a weapon of war and of committing genocide. Israel opposition leader says Netanyahu arming 'equivalent of Isis' gangs in Gaza Read More » A recent survey conducted in the UK found that a majority of the British public supports a full arms embargo on Israel. According to the poll, 57 percent of respondents backed a government-imposed embargo, while only 13 percent were opposed. On Tuesday, it was reported that the Spanish government had cancelled a $327m arms deal with Israeli defence company Rafael. The contract involved the purchase of offensive weaponry, including 168 firing posts and 1,680 anti-tank missiles. Yair Coles, head of the International Defense Cooperation Directorate, the Ministry of Defence division overseeing Israeli arms exports, told Israeli news outlet Ynet: 'We are facing a serious challenge. Members of parliament are openly calling for a halt to arms purchases from Israel because of the images coming out of Gaza, and this is having an effect. Today, customers are telling us this directly.' Coles added: 'Sales to France and the UK are very low. Two forces are currently at work: military establishments that want to buy the best equipment from us, and political forces holding back. I hope that necessity will prevail over politics.' A national achievement According to defence ministry data, nearly half (48 percent) of Israel's arms exports consist of air defence systems, missiles and rockets. Other categories, including military and armoured vehicles, radar systems, manned aircraft and satellites, each account for between 8 and 9 percent of total exports. Israeli human rights lawyer and arms trade monitor Eitay Mack told TheMarker that Israeli arms exports could rise further in 2025. 'Due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, we may see a spike in arms deals with India,' Mack said. 'Additionally, the effects of the increased security budgets in Europe – driven by shifting relations with the United States – will likely be felt only in 2025.' 'The world sees Israel's strength and wants to be part of it' - Israel Katz, Defence Minister However, Mack cautioned that some countries may shift away from Israeli weapons in favour of American arms as part of efforts to improve trade balances with the United States. 'In the context of the tariff war declared by [US President Donald] Trump, some countries may prefer to buy from the US rather than from Israel,' he added. Defence Minister Israel Katz praised the export figures, calling them a national achievement. 'In a year of war, under complex and difficult conditions, Israel has broken its all-time arms export record,' Katz said. He attributed the success to Israel's battlefield performance: 'This is a direct result of the IDF's and defence industries' achievements against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, the Ayatollahs' regime in Iran, and other enemies.' Katz added, 'The world sees Israel's strength and wants to be part of it.' Defence Ministry Director General Amir Baram echoed the sentiment. 'Israeli arms exports reflect, more than anything, a growing global appreciation for Israeli technology. Our systems have made a resounding impact across the Middle East over the past year,' he said. Coles also credited the collaboration between the defence sector and the military. 'The unique link between Israeli arms companies, the Ministry of Defence, and the IDF creates a distinct competitive edge in global markets,' he said. According to Coles, during the war in Gaza, Israel's defence industries demonstrated that they could 'meet the IDF's operational needs while simultaneously responding to growing international demand'.
Al Etihad
13 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Shein hit with complaint from EU consumer group over 'dark patterns'
5 June 2025 09:03 LONDON (REUTERS)Pan-European consumers organisation BEUC filed a complaint with the European Commission on Thursday against online fast-fashion retailer Shein over its use of "dark patterns," tactics designed to make people buy more on its app and urging customers not to leave the app or risk losing promotions, countdown timers that create time pressure to complete a purchase, and the infinite scroll on its app are among the methods Shein uses that could be considered "aggressive commercial practices", BEUC said in a report also published on BEUC also detailed Shein's use of frequent notifications, with one phone receiving 12 notifications from the app in a single day."For fast fashion, you need to have volume, you need to have mass consumption, and these dark patterns are designed to stimulate mass consumption," Agustin Reyna, director general of BEUC, said in an interview."For us, to be satisfactory, they need to get rid of these dark patterns, but the question is whether they will have enough incentive to do so, knowing the potential impact it can have on the volume of purchases."In a statement, Shein said, "We are already working constructively with national consumer authorities and the EU Commission to demonstrate our commitment to complying with EU laws and regulations." It added that the BEUC had not accepted its request for a and rival online discount platform Temu have surged in popularity in Europe, partly helped by apps that encourage shoppers to engage with games and stand to win discounts and free BEUC has also previously targeted Temu in a use of gamification, drawing shoppers to use the app regularly, has helped drive its the "Puppy Keep" game on the app, users feed a virtual dog and collect points to win free items. They can gain more points by scrolling through the app, and by ordering items, but must log into the game every day or risk losing cumulative BEUC noted that dark patterns are widely used by mass-market clothing retailers and called on the consumer protection network to include other retailers in its said 25 of its member organisations in 21 countries, including France, Germany and Spain, joined in the grievance filed with the Commission and with the European consumer protection last month, the European Commission notified Shein of practices breaching EU consumer law and warned it would face fines if it failed to address the concerns. The company is also under scrutiny from EU tech regulators on how it complies with EU online content rules.
