The EU Council's Middle East/Gulf Working Group in a paper obtained by EUROPE dated 7 July, has recommended the strengthening of relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its member countries (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar).
The diplomats stress the "strategic importance" for the EU of relations with these countries, given their growing economic, political and geostrategic importance and their increasing regional and global involvement.
For the working group, there is therefore a need to strengthen political dialogue and cooperation, both with individual GCC countries and with the regional organisation. And there are many topics: combatting terrorism, economic diversification, clean energy, digitalisation, research and innovation, home affairs, food and water, and so on.
The EU should also "seek closer political dialogue and increased high-level contacts with the Gulf States and the GCC on regional issues", and on global challenges such as climate change or the promotion and protection of human rights.
In view of the growing importance of relations with the Gulf States, the Working Group believes that enhanced cooperation may require the EU to adopt a "tailor-made" approach, "based on its own interests and priorities, the interests of the Gulf partners and respective capabilities".
The Union should also continue its "intensive" efforts to explore the possibilities of activating the EU-GCC Free Trade Agreement negotiations.
And while divisions among GCC members persist (see EUROPE 12035/29), the Union should, according to diplomats, reaffirm in all circumstances that it is ready to relaunch political dialogue with the organisation, provided that all its members are present. In the meantime, the EU should continue to work with the GCC at a technical level in all sectors where this is possible.
See the recommendations : https://bit.ly/3ex4ZCN ">https://bit.ly/3ex4ZCN (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)