Relations between EU and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries comprise Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Relations between the EU and the GCC countries have failed to materialize into a deep partnership. After twenty years of talks, the Free Trade Agreement is still not concluded. Although the GCC would benefit most from trade liberalization with the EU, its reluctance to commit to economic reforms reinforcing openness and transparency prevents the negotiations to come to an end. At the same time, France, Germany and UK relations with GCC countries are relatively more developed with high levels of weaponry supply and support on security grounds, albeit non comparable to the American involvement in the region.