GCC-EU Summit Postponed After Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

The Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union postponed the GCC-EU summit planned for Riyadh on October 24, after attacks by the Houthis targeted Saudi Arabia. The two sides have not announced a replacement date, leaving their second leaders’ summit without a new timetable, the source report said.

The GCC Secretariat said it would work with the European Union to establish appropriate conditions for convening the meeting. The GCC cited delegate safety as a concern after flight operations were affected at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.

Why the GCC-EU Summit Was Postponed

A missile attack on the airport on October 10 left at least 13 people dead and hundreds wounded, according to the source report. The GCC said it needed to consider the safety of visiting delegates. Its statement connected the postponement to the recent Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.

The summit had been scheduled for October 24 in Riyadh. The announcement came on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Officials gave no new date, and the GCC Secretariat said the two partners would work toward conditions for holding the meeting later.

The postponed GCC-EU summit is separate from another gathering that remains on the calendar. The 2nd GCC-EU Parliamentary Meeting is set to proceed in Brussels on October 16. It is intended to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy, according to the source.

Trade and Energy Were on the Agenda

The summit was expected to address economic relations, climate change, energy and research opportunities. The GCC brings together the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. The European Union has 27 member states, and the planned meeting was intended to advance trade and regional relations between the groupings.

The partnership agreement dates to 1989, while the first summit between representatives took place in 2024. Before that, a joint cooperation committee held annual meetings. This year’s meeting would have been the second summit.

Goods trade between the EU and the six GCC countries totaled €165.6 billion in 2025. EU exports were almost €110 billion, while imports were €55.6 billion. Oil and gas accounted for 75% of EU imports from GCC countries. Chemicals, plastics, rubber and aluminium made up the rest, while EU exports included machinery, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, vehicles, aircraft and agricultural products.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia together accounted for over 75% of total trade. Trade in services between the blocs also grew, with the value doubling from 2014 to 2024. In 2024, EU foreign direct investment stock in the GCC region was €163.1 billion, and GCC investment stock in the EU was €189.8 billion. The United Arab Emirates represented 68% of outward investments and over 63% of inward investments, according to Eurostat datasets.

Other GCC-EU Work Continues

The GCC and EU do not have a free trade agreement with each other. Their trade relationship is underpinned by the 1989 pact. The source says GCC states have free trade agreements with Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Possible future discussions could include increasing investment, improving market access for GCC products and services, and reducing customs duties. Those topics remain potential areas of work, not decisions announced at the postponed summit. The GCC Secretariat and European Union now face the task of establishing conditions for a later meeting, while the parliamentary session proceeds as planned.

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