A new round of free trade negotiations between the GCC countries and Indonesia

Riyadh is preparing tomorrow to host the second round of free trade negotiations between the GCC countries and Indonesia, at the headquarters of the GCC General Secretariat, during the period from February 3 to 6, 2025.

This round is a continuation of the first round held in Jakarta between September 9 and 13, during which a framework was set for future negotiations, with the identification of their objectives and timetable extending over 24 months.

GCC Secretary General Jassim Al-Badawi with Dr. Raja Al-Marzouqi, General Coordinator of Negotiations with Countries and International Economic Groups at the General Secretariat

The negotiations discuss a number of topics in trade in goods, services, investment, economic cooperation, dispute settlement, general texts and provisions, communications services, financial services, intellectual property rights, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, rules of origin, digital trade, and the Islamic economy.

The round aims to complete the negotiations that began last September after achieving remarkable progress, with both sides seeking to conclude the agreement within 24 months.

The agreement is scheduled to liberalize most goods between the two sides by canceling and reducing customs duties and simplifying their procedures, in addition to liberalizing services between the two sides by establishing preferential legislation, as well as adopting laws to protect and encourage investments between the two sides.

The agreement also includes many topics such as enhancing the role of small and medium enterprises and intellectual property.

The Kingdom is participating in this round under the chairmanship of the General Authority for Foreign Trade and with the participation of: the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Investment, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the General Authority for Food and Drug, 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 for Foreign Trade works to supervise and follow up on the progress of trade negotiations to ensure their compatibility with the Kingdom's trade objectives and policies, and to participate in trade negotiations to include the Kingdom's negotiating positions, and to coordinate with countries with similar or similar orientations in international trade.