UK Government consultation on an FTA with the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC)

The UK Government put out a call for input on which aspects of our current trading arrangements with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) we should look to improve or amend. The GCC is a regional, intergovernmental, political, and economic union and includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Transform Trade's response challenged the decision to negotiate a free trade agreement with the GCC. GCC countries have notably poor track records on issues relating to climate change and human rights.

 The UK Government is sending the wrong signal to both GCC countries and other countries around the world, that the UK is willing to offer preferential trading relationships to countries regardless of track record on climate change and human rights. This undermines the UK’s ability to influence other Governments’ approaches in these areas.