It was the first-ever visit of a joint delegation of GCC parliamentarians to the EU’s political capital and comes as a recognition by the EU of the growing importance of this Gulf regional organization.
"This is a very important meeting because the relations between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council is economically, politically and from a parliamentarian point of view of the highest importance in the turbulent times we are facing," commented the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, after meeting the GCC MPs.
Welcoming the GCC parliamentarians, the President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, Elmar Brok, said the aim of the first such meeting is to upgrade EU-GCC ties.
"The future of strategic partnership means even more intensive dialogue," he stressed and described the partnership with the GCC as "the most important partnership for the European Union." Abdulla Bin Mohammed Al Sheikh , Speaker of Saudi Shura Council, who led the GCC parliamentarian delegation, said the GCC aspires for even closer ties of friendship and partnership with the European Union.
MP Ali Saleh Al Omair , who represented Kuwait at the meetings , said "the visit was without doubt fruitful and it achieved its main goal which was to strengthen the partnership between the GCC and the European Parliament." The visit of the GCC parliamentarians follows the adoption by the European Parliament in March 2011 of a report on EU relations with the GCC , which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The report stated that the "EU needs to develop a strategy for the region aimed at strengthening its ties with the GCC, supporting the regional integration process, and encouraging bilateral relations with the GCC member states." It stressed that "the objective is a strategic partnership with the GCC and its member states" and called for holding of periodic summit meetings of heads of state and government of the two groupings.
Although an EU-GCC framework agreement was signed in 1988, European diplomats have acknowledged that Brussels had neglected the Gulf region but is now moving to rectify this policy weakness in its external relations.
Observers opine that Europe no longer looks upon the Gulf countries as merely suppliers of oil and gas to the energy-hungry continent and as investors of petro dollars in European economies.
EU leaders acknowledge that the GCC had played and is playing a significant role to resolve regioan crises such as in Libya, Yemen, Syria, Bahrain, the Palestine question, Iran’s nuclear programme, the fight against terrorism and anti-piracy off Somalia.
On the other hand, the 27-member European bloc which is facing a deep economic and financial crisis is also looking for investments from the GCC countries.
Moreover, there are important advantages for the EU itself for closer ties with the GCC.
The EU is considered to be the most integrated regional actor in the world. Therefore it has a keen interest in promoting regional integration in other parts of the world.
Success of any regional integration would also strengthen the EU’s position as a regional bloc.
The 22nd EU-GCC joint Council and Ministerial Meeting held in Luxembourg last June agreed to the preparation of a joint work programme for the next period (2013-2016) and to identify priorities and objectives.
They agreed to inject greater strategic depth into EU-GCC relations to guide the preparation of the next programme, to promote peace and security, as well as to encourage people-to-people contacts.
The meeting welcomed the progress made by the implementation of the 2010-2013 EU-GCC joint action programme in the areas of financial, economic and monetary cooperation, as well as in the fields of trade and investment, energy.
However, analysts think that the signing of an EU-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will give another strong boost in strengthening bilateral ties. FTA negotiations between the two sides have been suspended since 2008.
