Brussels, 28/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - A formal session of negotiations between the European Commission, on behalf of the EU, and the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council, comprising Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar), for the conclusion of a mutual free-trade agreement, has been scheduled for 20 and 21 March in Brussels, we learn on the occasion of the 12th session of the EU/GCC Joint Co-operation Council (in Grenada) (see EUROPE of 27 February, p.8). This resumption indicates both sides' interest in moving forward as quickly as possible to the conclusion of a free-trade agreement. Negotiations, long-delayed, were rekindled in September 2001 at the end of a review of the Community brief in July and a high-level meeting of experts at EU/GCC level in Riyadh in September. They should cover all the chapters of the future agreement, the drafting of which is practically over on the European side. The Commission would still like to secure clarifications on the common tariff structure adopted by the six countries of the GCC in view of the entry into force of their Customs Union, brought forward to 1 January 2003 (initially scheduled for 2005). Last September's meeting in Riyadh enabled the Commission to note that the new common nomenclature tariff of the GCC involved "remarkable decreases" in three categories. The Gulf States, for their part, hope that the EU will make a gesture to facilitate access for their products onto its market (especially for aluminium, oil by-products and fisheries products). The GCC's future Ambassador to Brussels, Hamad Al Amer, expressed his deep hope on this subject, expressing, moreover, the desire that the Commission should decide rapidly on the opening of a delegation in Riyadh, to raise the level of relations between it and the GCC Secretariat. The announcement has already been made, and the decision should be taken by the end of the year, according to Community sources. EUROPE will return to the meeting in Grenada.