Mexico City, Feb 13 (EFE).- Mexico may be moving toward finding a role for private investment in Pemex while maintaining state control over the oil giant, a business European investors may find attractive, European Parliament President Martin Schulz said.
President Enrique Peña Nieto discussed his energy policy and possible private investment in the energy industry, the German politician said in a press conference at the end of his visit to Mexico on Tuesday.
"Regarding Pemex, this could obviously be interesting for foreign investors. Nothing has been decided as of now, but I believe there is an opening and that could be an interesting proposition for Europe," Schulz said.
Privatization of the oil industry is a controversial topic in Mexico, where the left has accused the government of planning to open state-owned oil giant Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, to private investment.
Former leftist presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is staging a series of peaceful protests across Mexico in defense of Pemex and against a supposed plan to turn the firm over to foreign oil companies.
Peña Nieto said last month that Pemex would not be privatized and the public should be wary of those who sought to "mislead or confuse" the issue.
"During the two days I was here, I had an opportunity to meet with, among other people, President Enrique Peña Nieto. In this constructive meeting, we talked about how we can expand the strategic partnership and the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mexico," the European Parliament president said.
Schulz delivered an address to the Senate, telling lawmakers that the EU and Mexico must update the trade deal signed in 1997.
Europe is experiencing an economic recession "of dimensions that we had not seen in many years," with more than 26 million people unemployed, but we "will emerge" stronger from the crisis, Schulz said.
