EFTA States and the Gulf Cooperation Council hold a Joint Committee Meeting

Published 27-09-2022
On 27 September 2022, delegations from the EFTA States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) convened via videoconference for a Joint Committee meeting under the EFTA-GCC free trade agreement.

Mr Erik Andreas Underland, Chief negotiator at the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, acted as the EFTA spokesperson, while his excellency, Mr Fareed Alaseli, Deputy Governor at the Saudi General Authority of Foreign Trade, headed the GCC delegation.

The Joint Committee discussed and agreed to a concise joint conclusion reflecting the entry into force and the implementation of the Agreement. EFTA and the GCC also finalised and agreed to a joint notification of the Agreement to the WTO Committee on Regional Trade Agreement (CRTA) and coordination on the submission of the notification. Finally, the Joint Committee discussed mechanisms for reimbursement of customs duties unduly paid, identifying the importance of accessibility to information on relevant contact points and applicable processes within GCC States and EFTA states for economic operators that may hold such claims.

See the Joint Committee agenda here.
 
The EFTA countries exported goods worth USD 5.79 billion to the GCC countries in 2021, with clocks and watches and precious stones and metals accounting for the main exported goods. EFTA countries’ imports from the GCC States amounted to USD 1.55 billion. All trade figures exclude gold. Read more about merchandise trade between EFTA and the GCC here.
 
Read more about the EFTA–GCC Free Trade Agreement here.

 

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