1. SHV
  2. All Volumes and Issues
  3. Volume 7, Number 1, 2021
  4. Understanding the True Nature of Relations between the European Union & the Gulf Cooperation Council, and Predicting Tomorrow (Research Article)

Understanding the True Nature of Relations between the European Union & the Gulf Cooperation Council, and Predicting Tomorrow (Research Article)

SHV.
2021;
Volume 7, Number 1
: 1-9
https://doi.org/10.23939/shv2021.01.001
Received: February 10, 2021
Accepted: April 27, 2021
Authors:
  1. Yasin Yildirim
  2. Rabia Üzumcü
1
Çankiri Karatekin University
2
Çankiri Karatekin University

     History of Euro-Arab relations is full of with troubled, tragic, stressed but also optimistic and sanguine occasions. Through the ages, people of the Europe and the Middle East have lived together and interacted, by trading, negotiating, and conquering each other. Within the framework of constantly developing international law, diplomacy and universal respect rules, however, the spirit of cooperation and partnership has started to be lived and strengthened between two civilizations. In this sense, two regional organizations, the European Union, and the Gulf Cooperation Council are coming forward with their unique institutional characteristics. In last 3 decades, these two organizations succeeded many remarkable missions, created highly profitable economic relations, practiced very valuable commercial interacts, and harvested significant acquisitions from each other’s political, and economic backgrounds.

    However, mentioning about the creation of a complete alliance is impossible. Due to many obstacles and even sometimes due to preferential choices; the two actors could/did not unlock their potentials for a fully-fledged cooperation and collaboration processes. Therefore, the nature of the bilateral relations between Europe and Gulf has taken a highly eccentric and strange shape which is both powerful and concrete, and also weak and intangible. Nonetheless, despite of all drawbacks and unknown points; it is possible to anticipate more positive and brighter implications in the future and to be optimistic about the tomorrow of the relations between the parties, because of the necessity of comprehensive cooperation. In this paper, the relations between parties will be analysed with their positive and negative aspects under the context international cooperation by focusing legal treaties between them and other platforms that parties met. 

EU
GCC
Bilateral Relations
Interregional Cooperation
Commerce
  1. Alazawi, H. (2016). Cooperation and obstacles between EU & GCC. Acta Scientifica Academiae Ostroviensis. Sectio A, Nauki Humanistyczne, Społeczne i Techniczne, 7(1), 264-276.
  2. Alfadhel, L. (2015). TRIPS and the Rise of Counterfeiting: A Comparative Examination of Trademark Protection and Border Measures in the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Trade, Law and Development, 7(2), 388-411.
  3. Al-Sarihi, A. (2019, November 18). Renewable Energy in the Gulf Arab States. Retrieved December 23, 2020, from Center foor Contemporary Arab Studies: https://ccas.georgetown.edu/2019/11/18/renewable-energy-in-the-gulf-arab-states
  4. Amnesty International. (2018, December 7). Human Rights in the Gulf under Renewed Scrutiny Ahead of GCC Summit. Retrieved December 27, 2020, from Amnesty International: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/12/human-rights-in-the-gulf-under-renewed-scrutiny-ahead-of-gcc-summit/
  5. Ayadi, R. (2010). Relations between EU & Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries. European Parliament. Brussels: Directorate-General for External Policies.
  6. Baabood, A. (2003). Dynamics and Determinants of the GCC States’ Foreign Policy, with Special Reference to the EU. The Review of International Affairs, 3(2), 254-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475355032000240702
  7. Baabood, A., & Edwards, G. (2007). Reinforcing Ambivalence: The Interaction of Gulf States and the Euopean Union. European Foreign Affairs Review, 12(4), 537-554.
  8. Balfour, R. (2012). EU Conditionality after the Arab Spring. Barcelona: European Institute of the Mediterranean.
  9. Bianco, C. (2014). EU-GCC Cooperation in an Era of Socio-Economic Challenges. Rome: Istituto Affari Internazionali. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from http://www.iai.it/sites/default/files/Sharaka_RP_08.pdf
  10. Bianco, C. (2020, December 10). Gulf of difference: How Europe Can Get the Gulf Monarchies to Pursue Peace with Iran. Retrieved April 9, 2021, from European Council onj Foreign Relations: https://ecfr.eu/publication/gulf-of-difference-how-europe-can-get-the-gulf-monarchies-to-pursue-peace-with-iran/
  11. Buzan, B. (2015). The English School: A Neglected Approach to International Security Studies. Security Dialogue, 46(2), 126-143. https://doi.org/10.1177/0967010614555944
  12. Charfi, M. (2017). The European Parliament and the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: Between Interests and Values. European Foreign Affairs Review, 22(4), 493-512.
  13. Cochrane, P. (2020, October 30). Renewable Energy: What Does It Mean for Oil-dominated Middle East? Retrieved December 23, 2020, from Middle East Eye: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/renewable-energy-oil-middle-east
  14. Colombo, S., & Committeri, C. (2013). Need to Rethink the EU-GCC Strategic Relation. Sharaka Conceptual Paper, 1, 1-26.
  15. Commission of The European Communities. (1978). The European Community and The Arab World. Brussels: Information Directorate-General. Retrieved November 7, 2020, from http://aei.pitt.edu/7824/1/31735055281335_1.pdf
  16. Commission of the European Communities. (1995). Improving Relations Between the European Union and the Countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Brussels: European Communities.
  17. Davies, W. (2014). Neoliberalism: A Bibliographic Review. Theory, Culture & Society, 31(7/8), 309-317. https://doi.org/10.1177/0263276414546383
  18. Doukas, H., Flamos, A., Marinakis, V., & Assadi, M. (2013). EU-GCC Cooperation for Natural Gas: Prospects and Challenges. International Journal of Energy Sector Management, 7(2), 194-222. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJESM-07-2012-0003
  19. Echague, A. (2007). The European Union and the Gulf Cooperaiton Council. FRIDE.
  20. EUGCC CET Network. (2021). Scope of Work and Stakeholders. (EU-GCC Clean Energy Technology Network). Retrieved April 10, 2021, from EU-GCC Clean Energy Technology Network: https://www.eugcc-cleanergy.net/scope-of-work-stakeholders
  21. European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights. (2021). EU-Gulf Monitor: EU Institutions on the Respect for Human Rights in GCC Countries. Retrieved January 8, 2021, from European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRSGcTQERQlHuecXo31zxzsn2iNJUlJrMH2NqTVdDSuHjgFd_GShDsA PsaNR9W-jaF48f-ZQXuR WBMW/pub html?gid=762548760&single=true
  22. European Commission. (2020, May 5). Countries and Regions - Gulf Region. Retrieved November 15, 2020, from European Comnission: https://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/regions/gulf-region/
  23. European Commission. (2020, April 17). Gulf Cooperation Council. Retrieved April 10, 2021, from European Commission: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/topics /international-cooperation/international-organisations-and-initiatives/gulf-cooperation -council_en#eu-gcc-energy-expert-group
  24. Flamos, A., Ergazakis, K., Moissis, D., Doukas, H., & Psarras, J. (2010). The challenge of a EU-GCC Clean Energy Network. International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 33(3/4), 176-188. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJGEI.2010.036955
  25. Fulton, J. (2019, September 18). China Is Becoming a Major Player in the Middle East. Retrieved April 8, 2021, from BRINK News: https://www.brinknews.com/china-is-becoming-a-major-player-in-the-middle-east/
  26. GCC. (2020, June 25). The 29th Meeting of the Joint Cooperation Committee between the GCC and the European Union. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Secretariat General: https://www.gcc-sg.org/en-us/MediaCenter/NewsCooperation/News/Pages/news20 20-6-25-4.aspx
  27. GCC. (2021). Regional Cooperation and Economic Relations with other Countries and Groupings. Retrieved April 6, 2021, from Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Secretariat General: https://www.gcc-sg.org/en-us/CooperationAndAchievements/Achievements/RegionalCooperationandEconomicRelationswithotherCountriesandGroupings/Pages/NegotiationswiththeEU. aspx
  28. Ghafar, A. A., & Colombo, S. (2020, March). EU-GCC Relations: The Path towards a New Relationship. Regional Programme Gulf States - Policy Report, 2.
  29. Giardullo, C. (2012). The Gulf Cooperation Council as a New Regional Power: Time for the EU to Propose a Strategic Partnership. Bruges: United Nations University.
  30. Hazak, G. (2012). The European Union - A Federation or a Confederation. Baltic Journal of European Studies, 2(1), 43-64.
  31. Holzer, M. (2003). The English School / Internatinoal Society. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from GRIN Verlag: https://www.grin.com/document/108039
  32. Human Rights Watch. (2014). Abuse and Exploitation of Female Migrant Domestic Workers in the United Arab Emirates. Washington DC: Human Rights Watch.
  33. ICC. (2013). Controlling The Zone: Balancing Facilitation And Control to Combat Illicit Trade in the World's Free Trade Zones. Paris: International Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://iccwbo.org/content/ uploads/sites/3/2016/11/Combating-illicit-trade-in-FTZs-1.pdf
  34. IRENA. (2019). Renewable Energy Market Analysis: GCC 2019. Abu Dhabi: International Renewable Energy Agency.
  35. ITA. (2020, September 12). United Arab Emirates - Country Commercial Guide. Retrieved December 22, 2020, from International Trade Administration: https://www.trade.gov/united-arab-emirates-country-commercial-guide
  36. Kalicka-Mikolajczyk, A. (2016). Towards a New Comprehensive Partnership - Economic and Trade Relations between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union. Wroclaw Review of Law, Administration & Economics, 5(2), 18-39. https://doi.org/10.1515/wrlae-2015-0033
  37. Khader, B. (2013). The European Union and the Arab World: from the Rome Treaty to the Arab Spring. Barcelona: European Institute of the Mediterranean.
  38. Koch, C. (2014). Constructing a Viable EU-GCC Partnership. Kuwait City: Kuwait Programme on Development, Governance and Globalisation in the Gulf States & The London School of Economics. Retrieved April 6, 2021, from http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/55282/1/Constructing-a-viable-U-GCC-relationship.pdf
  39. Koch, C. (2020). Towards a Regional Security Mechanism in the Gulf Region. Berlin: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.
  40. Koch, C., & Stenberg, L. (2010). The EU and the GCC Challenges and Prospects under the Swedish EU Presidency. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Gulf Research Center.
  41. Kostadinova, V. (2013). What is the Status of the EU-GCC Relationship? GRC Gulf Papers. Retrieved December 22, 2020, from https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/167338/EU-GCC_9227.pdf__.pdf
  42. Kotz, D. (2002, Summer). Globalization and Neoliberalism. Rethinking Marxism, 12(2), 64-79. https://doi.org/10.1080/089356902101242189
  43. Lacroix, S. (2012). Sheikhs and Politicians: Inside the Egyptian Salafism. Doha: Brookings Doha Center.
  44. Luciani, G., & Schumacher, T. (2004). Relations Between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council, Past Record and Promises for the Future. GRC Research Papers.
  45. Masters, J., & Sergie, M. A. (2020, February 19). The Arab League. Retrieved November 6, 2020, from The Council on Foreign Relations: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/arab-league
  46. Meiser, J. (2017). Liberalism. In S. McGlinchey, R. Walters, & C. Scheinpflug, International Relations Theory (pp. 22-26). Bristol: E-International Relations Publishing.
  47. Nonneman, G. (2006). EU-GCC Relations: Dynamics, Patterns and Perspectives. The International Spectator, 59-74. https://doi.org/10.1080/03932720608459428
  48. Papadopoulou, A., Doukas, H., Karakosta, C., Makarouni, I., Ferroukhi, R., Luciani, G., & Psarras, J. (2011). Tools and Mechanisms Fostering EU-GCC Cooperation on Energy. World Renewable Energy Congress (pp. 2308-2315). Linköping: University Electronic Press, Linköping. https://doi.org/10.3384/ecp110572308
  49. Ronzitti, N. (2013). Maritime Security: Challenges and Opportunities for EU-GCC Cooperation. Rome: Istituto Affari Internazionali.
  50. Rüland, J. (2006). Interregionalism – An Unfinished Agenda. In H. Hänggi, R. Roloff, & J. Rüland, Interregionalism and International Relations (p. 295). Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203008324
  51. Sleightholm, M. (2018, November 14). Middle East Ownership in European Football. Retrieved January 11, 2021, from Sport Industry Insider: http://www.sportindustryseries.com/sports-industry-insider/middle-east-ownerhsip -in-european-football/ https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-6128(21)00116-6
  52. Trulsson, Å. (2010). The EU’s Interregional Relationship with the GCC - An Assessment of the Current Cooperation. Lund: Lund University. Retrieved April 9, 2021, from https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/search/publication/1653148
  53. Yahyazadeh, H. (2020). Renewable Energy Communities in the Law of EU, GCC Countries and Iran. Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications, 10(6), 1-7. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://www.longdom.org/ open-access/renewable-energy-communities-in-the-law-of-eu-gcc-countries-and-iran.pdf
  54. Youngs, R. (2009). Impasse in Euro-gulf Relations. FRIDE.