EU and Qatar launch Strategic Partnership negotiations

On 6 December, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security/Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, and the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met in Doha to officially launch the negotiations for an EU-Qatar Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA).

This decision further strengthens the robust partnership between the EU and Qatar, building on the 2022 EU Joint Communication , which outlined a vision for a deeper partnership with the Gulf, and the joint agenda launched by Gulf and European leaders at the 2024 EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Brussels.

High Representative/Vice-President, Kaja Kallas said: "Qatar is a vital partner for the EU. Today, the EU and Qatar are committing to closer cooperation with the launch of negotiations for a new Strategic Partnership Agreement. Once in place, the new framework for bilateral engagement should bring benefits for both sides through joint work to uphold regional peace, boost common security and increase prosperity across the two regions."

The EU and Qatar seized this opportunity to reaffirm their joint commitment to promoting regional stability and security through enhanced cooperation. Together, they will identify and pursue new avenues for collaboration on key priority areas of mutual interest.

Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, said: "I welcome the launch of negotiations on a Strategic Partnership Agreement with Qatar. Strategic Partnership Agreements, along with the trilateral EU-Gulf-MENA cooperation promoted by the Pact for the Mediterranean, mark a new era in the EU's relations with the region. Qatar's role is central. Together we can advance stability, sustainable growth and long-term prosperity both in the EU and in Qatar but also across the wider region."