The commercial policies development conference was held here today to discuss the pending commercial issues between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council in the participation of a host of experts and specialists from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the GCC secretariat general, specialized Arab Gulf organizations and relevant institutions. Dr. Abdulaziz Hamad Al-Owaisheq, the Assistant Secretary General of the GCC for political affairs and negotiations, said the conference is held as part of the Joint Cooperation Agreement that was concluded between the two sides in June 1988, producing the free trade negotiations. He said the EU is the GCC countries first trade partner as the trade exchange size between the two parties amounted to some $180 billion in 1970, in favor of the EU, noting the keenness of the GCC countries to enhance the trade exchanges, investment with the EU, work to rectify the commercial imbalance, increase the EU investments in the region, and enhance the access of GCC exports to European markets.
