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(Bloomberg) — European Union member states approved the launch of negotiations with six Gulf countries as the bloc seeks to broaden its international partnerships amid tariff threats from President Donald Trump.
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European affairs ministers gave the green light to the opening of talks aimed at concluding bilateral Strategic Partnership Agreements with Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, during a meeting in Brussels on Friday, according to people familiar with the discussions, who spoke on the condition on anonymity.
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Negotiations are expected to begin as soon as possible and to address a broad spectrum of issues, including security and energy, as the EU is stepping up efforts to diversify relationships and reduce its dependence on the US in response to Trump’s unpredictable trade policies.
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“Through the Strategic Partnership Agreements, we aim to take our cooperation to the next level,” European Commissioner for Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica told Bloomberg.
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The commissioner is planning to attend the EU-GCC ministerial meeting in Kuwait on Oct. 6, after a first such gathering was held in Brussels in October 2024.
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EU Strategic Partnership Agreements are framework arrangements between the EU and third countries designed to enhance cooperation on a range of issues. They can serve as stepping stones for further pacts as there have been various attempts to reach a trade deal with the GCC since talks started in 1990 — with all previous efforts failing to bear fruit.
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This latest advance on fostering stronger ties between the two economic regions follows a recent agreement between the EU and the UAE to begin free trade negotiations aimed at removing trade barriers and fostering economic integration.
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