An internatioal political economy view of EU-GCC partnership

Abstract EN

After several years of being blocked, the signing of the EU-GCC FTA (European Union-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Area) seems imminent.

The main objective of this paper is to shed some light on the EU-GCC relationship.

It sets a conceptual framework, compares the EU-GCC Cooperation Agreement with other EU regional initiatives and explores the evolution of EU-GCC relations.

The study points to the need for economic cooperation, including the long-awaited FTA, and cultural dialogue to transit from its current fragmented and low profile level to an institutionalized EU-GCC Partnership Agreement.

Two qualifications are added: (a) EU-GCC relations should adopt a more sophisticated model than the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership; and (b) It should take into account the US strategy on the Middle East