US EditionUAE Minister Says Trade Talks with EU Not a Hurdle for Deal Between GCC and Bloc
- The UAE announced that its bilateral free trade talks with the EU, launched in May 2025 in Dubai, do not hinder a similar deal between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council .
- This stance follows long-suspended EU-GCC trade negotiations that began 35 years ago but formally halted in 2008, with the UAE emphasizing past bilateral talks that led to GCC agreements.
- The UAE has actively pursued Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements since 2021 to reduce fossil fuel dependence and secure long-term growth, while supporting deeper EU involvement in the Gulf.
- UAE Trade Minister Thani Al Zeyoudi said, “We’re not seeing this as a hurdle,” noting the EU bloc’s slower pace compared to bilateral talks and aiming to conclude the EU-UAE deal within three to six months.
- The UAE’s approach suggests it will prioritize GCC trade talks after the EU-UAE deal, reflecting the GCC’s role as the EU’s sixth-largest export market and ongoing efforts for regional economic integration.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Emirati trade deal can be 'building block' for EU-Gulf pact
An EU trade deal with the United Arab Emirates will not preclude an agreement between the bloc and the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council and could be a “building block” towards a region-to-region pact, top trade officials said on Wednesday.
UAE says EU trade talks not a hurdle to GCC deal
The United Arab Emirates does not see bilateral talks for a free trade deal with the European Union as an obstacle to a similar agreement between the 27-nation bloc and the Gulf Cooperation Council, the UAE's trade minister said on Wednesday. "We're not seeing this as a hurdle, we are seeing it's a flow which is going to be starting from here and moving to the GCC...usually the blocs are much slower than the bilateral, and that's why we're start…
The Straits Times
1330 & 101.5 WHBLUAE minister says trade talks with EU not a hurdle for deal between GCC and bloc
DUBAI - The United Arab Emirates does not see bilateral talks for a free trade deal with the European Union as an obstacle to a similar agreement between the 27-nation bloc and the Gulf Cooperation Council, the UAE's trade minister said on Wednesday. Read more at straitstimes.com.
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