The inaugural summit between the European Union (EU) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders convened in Brussels on October 16, 2024, marking a significant milestone two years after the EU's adoption of a new strategy towards the GCC. This strategic initiative aims to forge a novel partnership focused on peace and prosperity, while underscoring the mutual alignment and collaborative efforts between the two entities in tackling numerous global challenges. This article seeks to present an objective analysis of this historic summit's significance, its tangible outcomes, and the potential implications for the future trajectory of Gulf-European relations.
The Summit's Global Context
The inaugural EU-GCC summit derives its significance from two main factors:
1- Significance of the Gulf and European blocs:
The European Union (EU) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) stand as two of the world's most influential blocs, wielding considerable resources and capacities. Together, they form a formidable economic force, collectively accounting for over 20% of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). While the combined GDP of the GCC nations surpasses $2.4 trillion, the EU's economic might is even more substantial, with a GDP of approximately $18.3 trillion.
From a geostrategic perspective, the EU's significance as a global power is multifaceted. Its importance stems not only from the substantial military capabilities of its member states but also from their technological and economic advancements. With a population exceeding 450 million across its 27 member states, the EU ranks as the world's third-largest bloc by population. This demographic strength, coupled with its economic prowess, positions the EU to play a leading role in addressing a wide array of challenges facing both Europe and the world, including security, military, political, economic, and climate issues.
On the other hand, the GCC states are rapidly gaining influence on the global stage. Their growing importance extends beyond their vast economic resources and crucial role as primary suppliers of fossil fuels, which are essential for stabilizing global energy markets. Increasingly, these nations are asserting their political influence at both regional and international levels. As a result, the GCC has emerged as a proactive and reliable partner for major global powers in tackling significant international challenges and crises.
2- Circumstances surrounding the summit:
a. Political turmoil:
The EU-GCC summit unfolded against a backdrop of severe political turmoil in the Middle East and Europe. The escalating conflict in Gaza, the war in Lebanon, and growing hostilities in the Red Sea due to confrontations with the Houthis painted a grim picture of regional instability. Moreover, the risk of the conflict expanding loomed large, exacerbated by direct clashes between Israel and Iran, as well as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. These crises demanded coordinated and practical responses from both sides, with efforts aimed at bolstering diplomatic initiatives to safeguard regional and global security and stability.
The relationship between the Gulf and Europe holds particular significance for both blocs, especially in a region where conflicts threaten not only the Middle East but also Europe. The security, stability, and prosperity of the Gulf region directly impact the European Union, which has been profoundly affected by the waves of migration stemming from these conflicts. In recent years, GCC countries have also emerged as vital mediators in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, an issue of paramount importance to the EU.
Notably, the UAE has spearheaded mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine, achieving remarkable success by facilitating nine prisoner exchange operations. These operations resulted in the release of 2,184 prisoners of war, demonstrating the potential for political solutions to this complex crisis.
b. Economic ties and strategic developments:
Economically, Gulf-European relations are flourishing, yielding mutual benefits for both regions. Europe stands as the GCC's second-largest trading partner after China, while the GCC ranks as Europe's ninth-largest trading partner. The trade volume between these two economic powerhouses reached an impressive 170 billion euros in 2023. Moreover, Gulf investments in the EU soared to approximately 306 billion euros in 2023, while European direct foreign investment in the GCC climbed to €442 billion this year, according to Olof Gill, the European Commission spokesperson for trade and agriculture.
European data reveals a significant shift in energy dynamics, with fuel imports from GCC countries constituting over 75% of EU fuel imports in 2023. This figure has tripled since 2020, primarily due to the EU's dramatic realignment of supply sources prompted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Given these robust economic ties, forging stronger and more strategic partnerships between the Gulf states and the EU is not just beneficial but essential. This collaboration builds upon a solid foundation of cooperation dating back to the 1988 Cooperation Agreement, which established a framework for ongoing dialogue, particularly in economic relations.
In a joint meeting held in Brussels in February 2022, GCC and EU foreign ministers endorsed a comprehensive cooperation program for the period 2022–2027, subsequently updated in October 2023. This program delineates joint activities across various sectors, including trade, investment, climate change, green and sustainable transition, people-to-people initiatives, and counter-terrorism.
Further solidifying this partnership, in May 2022, the European Commission and the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security issued the Joint Communication of the European Union on a "Strategic Partnership with the Gulf." This document presents a practical roadmap for the EU to cultivate closer ties with GCC states. Concurrently, Luigi Di Maio was appointed as the first EU Special Representative for the Gulf, tasked with the crucial mission of establishing a stronger, more comprehensive, and strategic partnership between the EU and the Gulf region.
Negotiations on a free trade agreement between the GCC and the EU, which began in 1990, initially stalled. However, Europe soon recognized the mistake of delaying such cooperation, acknowledging the numerous opportunities lost by both sides. This realization led to the re-launch of discussions on a free trade agreement in 2017. Subsequently, in May 2022, a strategic partnership was announced, redefining the foundations of Gulf-European relations beyond mere economic ties. This expanded partnership now aims to build a balanced relationship across vital areas, including investment, climate change, international health, energy security, renewable energy transition, development support, humanitarian aid, peace, stability, and conflict reduction in the Middle East.
The Summit’s Outcomes and Implications
The inaugural Gulf-European Summit in Brussels, which brought together 33 heads of state and prime ministers, yielded constructive discussions and a final communiqué that clearly demonstrated a shared political will to strengthen cooperation and partnership between both regions. These productive talks also revealed a widespread agreement on various regional and global developments, as outlined below:
1- Strengthening regional security and ending conflicts in the region:
Regarding the Gaza conflict, the summit's joint declaration emphasized the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2735. This resolution calls for an immediate, full, and complete ceasefire, the release of hostages, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners, and unimpeded humanitarian access to the civilian population. The leaders expressed support for the United States, Egypt, and Qatar in their mediation efforts. Additionally, they welcomed the formation of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, announced by Saudi Arabia, the EU, and Norway on September 26, 2024, in New York.
Addressing the conflict in Lebanon, the final statement urged an immediate ceasefire and called for intensified international and regional efforts to provide urgent humanitarian aid. The declaration stressed the importance of restraint, de-escalation, and preventing the expansion of the conflict to the wider region. It also emphasized the need to implement Security Council Resolution 1701.
Concerning the war between Russia and Ukraine, the declaration underscored the necessity of reaching a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine as soon as possible, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter. The statement demanded that Russia immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from Ukrainian territory.
2- Enhancing security coordination and cooperation:
The final communiqué of the EU-GCC Summit emphasized the critical need for enhanced security cooperation to address shared crises and de-escalate tensions within both regions. It warmly welcomed the launch of the EU-GCC Regional Security Dialogue in January 2024, highlighting the significant progress made in developing joint approaches to global and regional security challenges. The communiqué also noted the deepening of security cooperation across various domains, including counter-terrorism, maritime security, and cyber issues. Furthermore, it acknowledged advancements in non-proliferation efforts, disaster preparedness, and emergency management, as well as peacebuilding initiatives such as mediation and negotiation.
3- Expanding strategic partnerships:
The summit's declaration emphasized that the strategic partnership between the Gulf and the EU serves as a catalyst for promoting common objectives between close partners. This partnership is firmly rooted in respect for an international rules-based order, fully adhering to international law, including the United Nations (UN) Charter, international humanitarian law, and the promotion and protection of universal human rights.
Both parties recognized the necessity of supporting multilateralism and the significance of sustainable development and prosperity. They stressed their commitment to engage in fostering multilateral, regional, and bilateral frameworks to further strengthen cooperation at both bilateral and regional levels. This commitment underscores their dedication to enhancing collaborative efforts across various platforms.
In line with their shared vision, the parties agreed to maintain regular dialogue by convening a summit every two years. They expressed anticipation for the next Summit, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in 2026. Additionally, they planned to hold the 29th Joint Council and Ministerial Meeting in Kuwait in 2025.
4- Boosting economic cooperation:
The Gulf and European sides reaffirmed their mutual commitment to fostering a thriving and mutually beneficial economic, trade, and investment relationship. This partnership is set to develop through multilateral, regional, and bilateral frameworks. Furthermore, both parties emphasized the critical need to enhance the sustainability and resilience of their economies against global supply chain disruptions. They also pledged to collaborate in advancing robust, sustainable global value chains and securing resilient energy supply chains, with a particular focus on clean technologies, raw materials, and critical minerals.
In the realm of trade and investment, the two sides reached an agreement to organize targeted events, such as the EU-GCC Business Forum scheduled for November 2024 in Doha, Qatar. Additionally, they committed to bolstering cooperation to support investment and trade in zero and low-emission clean technologies and their components. Both parties also expressed their intention to work towards diversifying and securing global supply chains.
Overall, the recent positive developments in EU-GCC relations, culminating in the historic first summit between the two sides in Brussels, underscore a shared political will and determination to elevate their partnership. This strengthened relationship promises to push towards broader horizons in the future, yielding favorable impacts not only for both parties but also for regional and global issues at large.
