David McAllister, chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, has stated during an interview with Saudi Arabian newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that the European Union (EU) is ready to resume negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) with Gulf countries.
Mr. McAllister said that Europe is as shocked as the rest of the world by US President Donald Trump’s recent tariff policy, remarking that the parliament wants to strengthen relations in a way to reach strategic agreements in various fields. Underlining that Saudi Arabia is the main bilateral and regional partner to the EU in the Gulf region and beyond, he stated that the partnership with Saudi Arabia is stronger than ever, and that the latter has a growing regional and international role.
Meanwhile, the committee chair pointed out that, on April 1, the European Commission agreed on launching negotiations, with approval being awaited from the parliament for an official start. This will provide a binding political and legal framework to bolster cooperation between the EU and Saudi Arabia in several fields beyond the economy, he added.