BRUSSELS – The negotiations between Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the European Union have moved forward on the issue of the Schengen visa waiver.
In a high-level diplomatic encounter, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi and Deputy Secretary-General of the EU’s External Action Service Enrique Mora deliberated on potential visa waivers for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens.
The discussions were held in Brussels on Monday, where both leaders underscored the importance of cementing collaboration between the GCC and the EU while stressing the significance of joint efforts to confront prevailing challenges.
Amid their deliberations, Al Budaiwi and Mora also addressed pressing matters, including the ongoing situation in Gaza and preparations for an imminent forum on regional security slated for next month.
As far as the Schengen visa waiver is concerned, the GCC countries have been trying hard to make it easier for their citizens to enjoy their vacations without the hassle of securing a visa.
The GCC countries have also agreed on a unified visa regime on the same pattern as the Schengen visa for the countries in the bloc.
A few days earlier, GCC’s Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi said the GCC countries deserve to get the Schengen visa exemption.
“It is odd we have not been exempted from this visa… We deserve to be exempted from this visa,” Albudaiwi told Saudiah TV Channel.
“God willing, in a certain phase, all the GCC countries, will be able to celebrate exempting their citizens from the Schengen visa,” he said.
Created in 1981, the GCC comprises Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar – a Muslim-dominated bloc though the economic ties are strong despite the hiccup that emerged between Qatar and Saudi Arabia a few years ago.
