GCC, EU to renew joint action program till 2016

The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union are closely working to renew a joint action program, which will expand cooperation in 14 key strategic areas including economy, energy and nuclear safety. The joint program, whose mandate ends this year, was the focus of discussions at the high-profile GCC-EU economic dialogue that concluded in Brussels last Thursday, the GCC General Secretariat said in a statement. Ahmed Al-Kabi, a GCC spokesman, said that the intention to renew the joint action program till 2016 is an important move on the part of the GCC and the EU. He said that the relationship between the two regional blocs is governed by a framework cooperation agreement signed way back in 1988 as well as by this thee-year joint action program (2010-13) that expires this year. The joint program, once renewed, will ensure that the EU shares its experiences with the GCC in key areas. The program calls for closer cooperation in areas such as terrorism, money laundering, monetary affairs, investment relations, trade, power and water, transport, environment, industry, intellectual property rights and information technology. Other fields of cooperation identified by the joint program include education, tourism and culture, the Saudi daily (Arab News) reported Saturday.