EU and U.A.E. to Start Talks on Trade Deal

The European Union and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) agreed on Thursday to launch free trade talks. This comes amid global uncertainty due to United States President Donald Trump’s ever changing decisions to impose tariffs on various countries.

Today, [European Commission] President [Ursula] von der Leyen held a cordial phone call with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates. During their discussion, they agreed to launch negotiations on a free-trade agreement.
—EU statement

The two will start negotiating toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement intended to improve relations and economic growth.

• The central pillars of the deal are set to be critical raw materials, green hydrogen and renewable energy.
• The agreement will also cut tariffs and remove unnecessary trade barriers, according to the U.A.E.’s state news agency.

Long-time partners: The EU is the U.A.E.’s second-largest trading partner, responsible for 8.3 percent of its non-oil trade. The U.A.E. is also Europe’s largest export destination and investment partner in the Middle East and North Africa.

The wealthy Gulf state has long advocated for more EU involvement in the area.

Prophesied alliance: As Trump continues his aggressive global tariff policies, expect Europe and Middle Eastern nations to look to each other for alternative markets. The Bible specifically forecasts an alliance between moderate Arab nations and Europe.

To learn about this, read our Trends article “Why the Trumpet Watches an Alliance Between Arab Nations and Europe.”