European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, in her speech to the Federal National Council (FNC) in Abu Dhabi, announced a “new chapter in relations between the EU and the UAE” that will be defined by peace and prosperity.
Metsola, who is the first sitting President of the European Parliament to visit the Persian Gulf, called for a diplomatic resolution to the regional crisis during a historic meeting between representatives of the UAE and Europe, organised by FNC Speaker Saqr Ghobash.
“In the history of mankind, the world has rarely been so unpredictable,” Metsola said.
Her visit marks an important step forward in the development of diplomatic and strategic relations between the UAE and the EU, especially in light of the progress in negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement.
This parliamentary session marks a historic moment, as it is the first visit by a sitting President of the European Parliament to the Gulf region, underscoring the strengthening of strategic ties between the UAE and the EU.
The visit follows an official invitation from the FNC and comes at an important moment in UAE-EU relations, particularly in light of the ongoing negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The session will be held in the Zaid Hall of the FNC and aims to bring together senior ministers, EU diplomats and officials to strengthen parliamentary co-operation and align positions on various regional and global issues.
In addition, the FNC will hold the 18th meeting of the Heads of Parliament during this session, and Metsola will participate in discussions aimed at developing SSC-EU relations. The meeting is expected to contribute to closer co-operation between the two regions, reflecting their common interests and objectives in addressing contemporary challenges.
UAE-EU ties
Over the past few years, ties between the UAE and the EU have been strengthened through political dialogue at the highest level, co-operation on climate change and humanitarian aid, and more recently through growing co-operation in innovation and advanced technologies.
In the last 12 months alone, the UAE has committed to investing more than €100 billion in advanced technologies in Europe. The UAE’s oil trade with the EU continues to grow, reaching more than €60 billion per year.
In April, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan agreed to start negotiations on a free trade agreement.
The media reported that the first meetings of the negotiating teams will focus on reducing tariffs on goods and facilitating services, digital trade and investment flows. The parties also explored ways to boost trade in strategic sectors such as renewable energy, green hydrogen and critical raw materials.
