emirates7 - The 4th High-level Political Dialogue between the European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took place in Abu Dhabi on 27 May. It was co-chaired by Olof Skoog, Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs at the European External Action Service (EEAS), and Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE’s Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Envoy to the EU.
Both parties welcomed the significant announcement of the start of free trade negotiations between the EU and the UAE. They underlined the importance of the bilateral relationship and expressed their mutual commitment to strengthening ties—not only on a bilateral level but also in addressing major regional challenges in both Europe and the Middle East.
Discussions included the possibility of establishing a more formal framework for cooperation through an EU-UAE Strategic Partnership Agreement. The dialogue also covered collaboration in international forums and addressed key geopolitical issues such as the conflict in Gaza, and the situations in Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen, and Sudan, as well as Red Sea security and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Additionally, both sides reviewed ways to deepen EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) collaboration—seen as vital for the stability and prosperity of both regions—building on outcomes from the EU-GCC Summit held in Brussels in October 2024 and in anticipation of the UAE’s upcoming presidency of the GCC.
Both parties welcomed the significant announcement of the start of free trade negotiations between the EU and the UAE. They underlined the importance of the bilateral relationship and expressed their mutual commitment to strengthening ties—not only on a bilateral level but also in addressing major regional challenges in both Europe and the Middle East.
Discussions included the possibility of establishing a more formal framework for cooperation through an EU-UAE Strategic Partnership Agreement. The dialogue also covered collaboration in international forums and addressed key geopolitical issues such as the conflict in Gaza, and the situations in Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen, and Sudan, as well as Red Sea security and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Additionally, both sides reviewed ways to deepen EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) collaboration—seen as vital for the stability and prosperity of both regions—building on outcomes from the EU-GCC Summit held in Brussels in October 2024 and in anticipation of the UAE’s upcoming presidency of the GCC.