The European Union (EU) confirmed Tuesday that it would open a representation office in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, by the end of this year, as it considered its Wednesday meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states "an important occasion."
An EU official confirmed to reporters that the office's inauguration "is planned to take place by end of this year in Riyadh with accreditation of the office to all GCC states."
He made the remarks a day ahead of a joint EU-GCC ministerial meeting in Granada, Spain, which will discuss a wide range of issues including economic and political matters.
"This is an important occasion to deepen bilateral relations with the Gulf countries," said the official. "There are several tracks on which we are advancing." The EU and GCC signed an agreement of trade, investment and cooperation in 1989. Both sides are pressing for a free trade agreement, considered as the core of the EU-GCC relations.
The 15 EU members and the six-state GCC will also focus, during their two-day meeting, on cooperation in energy, business, and private sector, according! to the official.
During the last GCC summit in Oman, the Gulf states brought forward the creation date of the custom union from 2005 to January 2003, and in return the European council approved new negotiations' directives for the European Commission last July, thus speeding up pace for sealing a free trade deal, which has been on the agenda of both sides for four years. (Albawaba.com)
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