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Brussels: The European Union and the United Arab Emirates have decided to launch talks on a free trade agreement, the 27-nation bloc said Thursday, as it seeks to diversify trade away from the United States.
During a "cordial" phone call, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan agreed to start work on liberalising trade in goods, services, and investment, according to the European Commission.
"They agreed to launch negotiations on a free trade agreement," said a commission readout of the conversation.
"President von der Leyen expressed confidence that both sides can move swiftly and ambitiously."
Brussels has pushed to broaden its trade horizons since President Donald Trump's return to the White House upended its traditionally close partnership with Washington.
Von der Leyen has pitched the bloc as a reliable partner for others looking to do business, amid soaring global trade tensions and the high volatility sparked by Trump's tariff announcements.
"Von der Leyen emphasised the European Union's strong track record of delivering high-standard trade agreements and building partnerships based on open trade and mutual benefit," the readout said.
In recent months Brussels has held summits with India and South Africa, announced a strengthened trade deal with Mexico, the resumption of talks with Malaysia and a new agreement with the South American bloc Mercosur.
On Thursday the EU chief also held phone calls with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and New Zealand's Christopher Luxon to discuss deeper cooperation, the commission said.
The commission described the launch of the UAE talks as "a positive step forward", which it hoped could "serve as a catalyst" for stronger ties between the bloc and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The EU is the second-largest trading partner for the GCC, which brings together Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
At a summit in October the two blocs agreed to speed up talks on a free trade agreement that languished for years.
