The first summit between the leaders of EU and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) takes place today, October 16, 2024, in Brussels. The summit is co-chaired by Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, the current rotating President of the GCC.
In it’s inaugural summit, European Union and Gulf Co-operation Council leaders meet in Brussels Wednesday to address security and economic relations. Although the summit has been planned for two years, it has gained importance as Israel conflict in Gaza and Lebanon threatens to destabilize the region. Preliminary summit meetings opened on Tuesday at the foreign affairs minister.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will be leading Saudi Arabia’s delegation to the summit, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
From the EU perspective, it would like further GCC support of its policies on Ukraine. An EU official noted that, “It’s important to engage with them explain why it is key and existential for us. If we have a member of the UN Security Council attacking a neighbour, it’s a real problem for everyone.”
On the other hand, as Saeed Alblooshi comments in RUSI: “While GCC capitals share the European enthusiasm for strengthening relations, the shadow of double-standard measures toward the Middle East in comparison to Ukraine remains, and Gulf decision-makers are concerned about whether pragmatic results can be achieved from the summit.”
Ukraine aside, trade and investment issues will be a priority. The EU is the GCC second-biggest trade partner with 11.1% of GCC’s total goods trade in 2023. In 2022 the GCC was EU’s ninth-largest trading partner.
The EU regards the Gulf as a region that will gain importance economically and geopolitically in years to come, an EU official said. “That’s why we need to have much more strategic relations with that region. Five years ago, the EU had only two EU delegations in the Gulf. Today, it has four. Five years ago, there was no real political dialogue with the Gulf, the GCC and individual countries.”
Recent efforts to grow the relationship include a strategic partnership launched in May 2022 that included issues of shared concern, such as security and the green transition. In May 2023, the EU nominated its first Gulf envoy, former Italian foreign affairs minister Luigi di Maio and this year the EU harmonized Schengen rule requirements for visa applications in an effort to encourage more Gulf students, entrepreneurs and tourists to visit the continent.
“The summit presents a critical opportunity to elevate relations between the EU and GCC to unprecedented levels. Given the geopolitical dynamics at play, both regions have incentives to deepen their cooperation. The growing influence of GCC countries and the repercussions of Middle Eastern events in Europe underscore the need for strengthened interdependence. More importantly, the EU must understand that the value-imposing tone it has used previously rarely yields any results, and although it constitutes a significant economic power, it is not irreplaceable. Thus, embracing the GCC states as they are rather than how it wishes them to be is the preliminary step for cultivating sustainable partnerships. This summit could serve as a pivotal moment in redefining and enhancing transregional ties, provided both sides engage with openness and a genuine commitment to addressing shared challenges based on equal consideration of each other’s interests.”
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Copyright: European Union, EU-Gulf Cooperation Council High Level Forum
