The second round of negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Japan is scheduled to be held from June 30 to July 4, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan. The Kingdom's representatives will be represented by the General Authority of Foreign Trade, headed by Mr. Fareed bin Saeed Alasali, Deputy Governor for International Organizations and Agreements.
During this round, several topics will be discussed, including goods, sanitary measures, technical barriers, terms on services, financial services, telecommunications services, movement of natural persons, intellectual property, dispute settlement, general provisions of the agreement, rules of origin, trade facilitation, among others. Prior to this, coordination meetings for technical negotiation teams from GCC countries will be held on June 29, 2025.
This round aims to continue discussing the proposed texts with both the Gulf and Japanese sides. In addition, it explores trade opportunities and aspirations for both parties. It also aims to build trust and partnership by identifying areas for cooperation and joint coordination, paving the way for reaching a comprehensive final agreement in the upcoming rounds.
This round follows the first round held last December in Riyadh, where texts and proposals were exchanged between the two sides as a step toward completing negotiations as soon as possible.
The Saudi delegation includes 14 government entities, represented by the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the Ministry of Investment, the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, the Saudi Export Development Authority, the Communications, Space and Technology Commission, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and the Saudi Central Bank.
It is noteworthy that the Saudi negotiating team, headed by the General Authority of Foreign Trade, is responsible for supervising and monitoring the progress of the trade negotiations. This is to ensure alignment with the Kingdom's trade policies and objectives. The team also participates in negotiations incorporating Saudi positions and coordinates with countries with similar trade orientations on international trade matters.