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The leaders of the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council will meet for their second summit in the Saudi capital on October 24. This follows the first such gathering that took place in Brussels in October 2024, according to the joint declaration from that event published by The National. The meeting aims to strengthen their strategic partnership amid evolving regional and global challenges.
European Council President António Costa will co-chair the summit with a GCC counterpart while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will also attend, the announcement detailed. It will involve the heads of state and government from the EU’s 27 member states and the six GCC countries of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Costa stressed the importance of the partnership in a statement.
“The EU-GCC strategic partnership is anchored in political dialogue, coordination and engagement, with the aim of promoting global and regional peace, security, and prosperity for the benefit of the people of our regions and beyond,” Costa said. “Our past, present and future are interconnected. The time has come to deepen the EU-GCC partnership,” he added.
Preparations for the summit were discussed on July 30, 2026 in a call between GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, the GCC Secretariat reported. The two reviewed implementation of the first summit’s outcomes and ways to advance cooperation in key fields. They described the upcoming event as a major milestone for the relationship.
Bilateral trade between the EU and GCC countries totaled 165.6 billion euros in 2025, according to figures from the European Commission reported by Europa Press. European exports to the region amounted to around 110 billion euros while imports stood at 55.6 billion euros. The trade has increased by nearly 30 percent in the past decade with energy products dominating the flows.
The first summit resulted in a commitment to biennial leaders’ meetings as well as continued ministerial engagements, the 2024 joint declaration stated. A subsequent regional security dialogue in April 2025 in Brussels addressed issues including counter-terrorism, maritime security and hybrid threats, the European External Action Service said. These steps illustrate the broadening agenda between the two blocs.
Saudi Arabia’s selection as host for the 2026 summit, first indicated in the inaugural meeting’s conclusions, reflects its prominent position in Gulf affairs and its role in fostering dialogue with European partners. The event is expected to yield progress on economic diversification, energy transition and regional stability initiatives. Further coordination between the parties continues in the lead-up to the gathering.
