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The European Parliament and the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: Between Interests and Values

Several analyses exist on the relations between the European Union (EU) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. However, the role played by the European Parliament (EP) in these relations remains little explored. This study helps to fill this gap through an analysis of the main instruments used by the parliamentarians and the actors involved during 2004–2016. We argue that, despite the fact that EU foreign policy continues to be fundamentally the prerogative of EU Member States, the EP has instituted various instruments that influence it. The analysis shows a real interest on the part of the EP in the GCC countries, particularly after 2010, although this has not significantly contributed to the promotion of EUGCC relations. The EP’s discourse has been dominated by issues of human rights and security, with a marginal place reserved for the promotion of trade relations and the conclusion of free trade agreement (FTA). We conclude that in order to promote the relations between the two sides, the EP could adopt a more realistic approach based on common interests and challenges. For the GCC countries, a more active parliamentary diplomacy would be beneficial in order to assert their positions and to have a more balanced relationship with the EP.