- Negotiations
The Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, with Yemen hoping to join by 2016) is dealing head-on with bilateral free trade agreements at various levels. On the one hand, it has gone through a lot of tension as its member countries have been drawn into individual bilateral treaties with foreign powers like the United States, including with a major row between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain when Bahrain signed with Washington. On the other hand, it has been working as a group to establish FTAs with others, including Australia, China, Mercosur, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Turkey, New Zealand, India, Iran, ASEAN and the European Union. It signed an FTA with Syria in 2005, and more recently with Singapore (2008) and EFTA (2009).
last update: May 2012
photo: US Department of State/Wikimedia Commons
6-Oct-2006
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Bahrain and the US has been operational since August 1, and on September 19, the US Congress approved the FTA with Oman, which will come into effect soon. The media coverage of the two deals in the region have been limited to official announcements without pointing out the serious dangers these FTAs pose to the GCC customs union.
11-Sep-2006
The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) said that Jordan is a potential market for the UAE, and the UAE could win a good chunk of Saudi Arabia’s trade with Jordan.
12-Aug-2006
The GCC and China seem more determined than ever to pursue the goal of attaining a free trade agreement (FTA) in the not-too-distant future.
10-Aug-2006
China is optimistic of concluding the first part of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the six-nation GCC block by the end of this year, but the second part may take more time, officials said yesterday.
22-May-2006
Gulf News
The GCC states and New Zealand are expected to sign a free trade agreement next year.
18-May-2006
Khaleej Times
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks between the GCC and Turkey will start this year, according to a senior Turkish government official.
16-Feb-2006
MENAFN
The Jordanian minister of Industry and Trade said that his country and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have made great advancement in their negotiations for the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
12-Feb-2006
Gulf News
Trade and investment. Not words which always set the pulse racing, the heart pounding.
7-Feb-2006
Japan wants to open free trade agreement (FTA) talks with the Gulf Cooperation Council, China, India, Australia and South Africa, a top-selling business daily here reported Sunday.
6-Feb-2006
Bahrein Tribune
The GCC-India free trade agreement (FTA) will open over a billion consumers’ market for the Gulf countries.