Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for what reason his Department is pursuing a multilateral free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council rather than bilateral agreements with the member states.

The UK and GCC Member States have agreed to negotiate a GCC-wide FTA, reflecting the opportunities this presents to increase trade and investment with all parties. The GCC is equivalent to the UK’s 9th largest trading partner.

During the Call for Input launched in advance of negotiations and subsequently, businesses and stakeholders expressed a preference for a UK-GCC FTA. An FTA will enable UK businesses to benefit from preferential access with all six GCC markets, unlocking new opportunities and giving them an advantage over international competitors.

We are committed to further deepening the bilateral trade and investment relationship through formal and informal dialogue with Gulf partners.