Abu Dhabi: The Shura Council has taken part in the 9th meeting of the Gulf-European Parliamentary Committee that was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The two-day meeting brought together representatives of the Gulf legislative councils.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Shura Council was represented at the meeting by HE Member of the Shura Council Yousef bin Ali Al Khater, HE Member of the Shura Council Nasser bin Mohammed Al Nuaimi, and HE Secretary-General of the Shura Council Nayef bin Mohammed Al Mahmoud. The meeting deliberated on the foremost topics on the agenda which focused on enhancing Gulf-European ties at the parliamentary level and cooperation in technology, energy, and regional security domains.
The deliberations addressed the shared challenges faced by the two regions, avenues for developing consultation and coordination mechanisms on regional and global issues, and sharing legislative expertise between both sides. Meanwhile, the committee held a meeting with the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with the Arabian Peninsula, which discussed a wide array of critical issues pertaining to bilateral relationships. This included the working paper presented by the Shura Council, which focused on facilitating the entry of Gulf citizens to EU countries, and the regulatory policies of ensuring the ethical and responsible utilization of AI and protecting private data.
Regarding the facilitation of entry for Gulf citizens to EU member states, the Shura Council’s paper underscored the importance of streamlining visa issuance procedures for GCC nationals and enhancing diplomatic and legislative collaboration. This aims to elevate economic, tourism, and investment relations. The paper emphasized reconsidering current visa-related policies and adopting a more flexible mechanism in line with the strategic partnership between the Gulf states and the EU.
On the theme of AI regulatory policies, the paper addressed the importance of a unified regulatory framework to ensure responsible AI use, considering ethical aspects and data protection. Additionally, it highlighted the importance of exploring regulatory mechanisms to protect against unlawful uses of smart technologies and strengthening cooperation in exchanging expertise and legislation.
In conclusion, the participants highlighted the importance of parliamentary partnerships between Gulf legislative councils and the European Parliament and advancing dialogue and cooperation on shared interest matters. This collaboration aims to serve the peoples of both regions and contribute to stability and sustainable development.
HE Speaker of the Federal National Council of the UAE, Saqr Ghobash, met with the committee members, discussing a range of topics on the agenda. He expressed his hope that these meetings would support joint Gulf parliamentary efforts, fostering progress within the GCC and fulfilling the aspirations of its leaders and peoples.