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The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council has revealed that the start of the process to grant Schengen visa waivers to citizens of five member states is very close, with an expected positive development at the upcoming summit with the European Union. In an exclusive interview for the Arab Views podcast produced by Arab News, Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi said the second EU-GCC summit set for October 24 in Riyadh would include several deliverables. “I will give you something exclusive. We are very close to reaching the beginning of the process to waive the Schengen visa for GCC citizens, for the five countries, the five remaining countries. So, inshallah, in that summit, you will hear something positive about that,” Al-Budaiwi told podcast host Faisal J. Abbas.
The United Arab Emirates is currently the only GCC country whose citizens can enter the Schengen Area for short stays without a visa, a privilege the other five have been seeking for years. Al-Budaiwi’s comments come as the GCC continues to strengthen ties with the EU, including negotiations for a free trade agreement that have faced some hurdles over additional clauses. A report by Arab News noted that the summit is anticipated to advance multiple areas of cooperation between the two blocs.
According to figures from European tourism bodies, millions of GCC citizens visit Europe each year for leisure, business and medical purposes, making the visa facilitation a key demand to boost people-to-people ties. The GCC chief had previously highlighted the economic benefits Gulf visitors bring to European countries in tourism, education and healthcare sectors. In March 2024, Al-Budaiwi had expressed optimism about achieving the exemption during talks in Brussels.
The process would not immediately eliminate the visa but initiate the formal steps toward eventual waiver, allowing for short-term visa-free travel similar to the UAE’s arrangement. This development builds on incremental easing already in place, such as the availability of multiple-entry Schengen visas valid for up to five years for nationals of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain. The authority’s assessment found that such measures have already simplified travel for many Gulf residents.
Al-Budaiwi also touched on the broader bilateral agenda, noting that the EU has insisted on including certain aspects in the proposed free trade agreement that the GCC would prefer to exclude. “Now we have to start something new with the EU. However, unfortunately, the EU side insists on adding a few aspects to the FTA that they would propose to us,” he stated in the podcast interview. These aspects reportedly include clauses on human rights.
The upcoming summit in the Saudi capital represents a platform for both sides to advance their strategic partnership, which has grown in significance amid regional and global challenges. Al-Budaiwi expressed confidence that the meeting would yield concrete outcomes across various files. The GCC comprises Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.
