Approaching the Gulf: political and economic relations between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council

Abstract

The bilateral European Union (EU) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) relations began to be delimited by a coordinated institutional framework in 1989 with the activation of the Cooperation Agreement (CA). From then on this partnership has had many obstacles to overcome since minimal initiatives have succeeded in successful completion of key issues such as the common acceptance for the start of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which is still a matter of negotiation. Intense disagreements, several points of divergence and the changing of priorities in economic and political level have brought this relationship at a crossroads between deceleration and stagnation. Although, the different structure of the two transnational unions, the appearance of bilateral contacts against multilateral agreements, the alternative economic development and trade policy that they follow as well as the dissimilar political culture arise many hurdles among them, the attempts to maintain and to create new communication and collaboration networks proves that this is a cooperation with strategic character for both sides. However, in order to become this partnership viable it should be adopted with a single policy line at regional level, creating relationships of interdependence which, in turn, will lead to a steady pace of recovery, deepening of their relations and with positive future prospects.