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Introduction to the EU-GCC trade and business
cooperation facility
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Context of the project
• EU member states and the GCC countries share longstanding historical relations and common
trade interests ranging from trade, energy and climate change to education, culture and
communications. An EU-GCC FTA has been under negotiation for 20+ years.
• In 2010, the EU and GCC adopted the Joint Action Programme and laid out a roadmap for
promoting these mutual interests and to reinforcing their trade cooperation.
• In 2014 the EU Commission contracted DI, BUSINESSEUROPE, VentureScout and FGCCC for a
3 year project period. The aim is to strengthen EU-GCC sustainable trade, investment and
business cooperation through mutual understanding and dialogue.
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EU-GCC Business and Trade Cooperation Facility
The main objectives of the project are:
1. Increase trade and investment opportunities through enhancing policy
dialogues between the EU and GCC policy makers and business community.
2. Establish an EU-GCC trade and business facility that will forge closer links
between the business communities in the EU and GCC.
3. Work to remove regulatory obstacles by introducing a wide range of demand
driven activities.
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The main components of the project
To achieve the project’s purpose, the following five pillars will be carried out with different weights with respect to
resource and time allocation.
30%
30%
30%
5%
Planning and
administration
5%
Policy Support
Trainings
Event and communication
Evaluation
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Policy support and events (Component 1 and 3)
•
The following activities will be aimed at EU and GCC business communities and chambers of commerce, government
departments and agencies, think tanks, opinion leaders and the media.
Round table
meetings
(1 day)
Policy advocacy
working groups (23 days)
Technical working
groups
(2-3 days)
Event
Kick-off seminars
EU-GCC
Business Forum
(2 days)
Objective
Formal launch of project
and overall discussion of
EU-GCC trade policy topics
A high-level advocacy
business forum that creates a
platform for policy dialogue
and cooperation
Identification of challenges
and opportunities for
enhancing EU-GCC trade and
business cooperation
Policy dialogue that facilitates
exchange of information and
best practices and identifies
business advocacy positions
Provide technical expertise
and analyses for the work of
the EU-GCC trade and
business facility
EU and GCC policy makers,
BMOs, interest group
Members of EU and GCC
business organisations
EU and GCC business
organisations, government
officials and NGOs
Experts from EU and GCC
BMOs, academia, NGOs
and government
Stakeholders
Location
Members of EU and
GCC business
organisations
EU
GCC
EU
BRX,
CPH
UAE
BRX
EU
GCC
UAE
OMA
GCC
EU
EU
GCC
BRX
UAE
BHR
BRX
Dubai
Doha
DK
OMA
KSA
BRX
Bahra
in
BRX
QTR
KUW
Rome
Musca
t
Sharj
ah
Jedda
h
UAE
OMA
GCC
UK
UAE
KSA
BRX
QTR
BHR
Rome
UAE
Oman
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EU-GCC Business Forums
A high level 2 day conference held on an annual basis
Objective
Expected Output
• To secure that the work of the policy working groups, the
roundtables, the technical working groups etc. come into play at
high level events, and to reach out to a large group of
stakeholders and interested parties
• Increased networking between EU and GCC companies,
resulting in new and lasting trade and investment opportunities
• To maximize influence and press coverage
• To share information and expert recommendations available to
businesses and policymakers to facilitate market access and
business cooperation
• Increased visibility and projection of the EU in the GCC States
through the organization of business and trade related events
• Business-to-business links for SMEs created
• High-end industries promoted
• EU-GCC LinkedIn group
• To improve mutual understanding of business practices and
policy processes
• One policy report for “Unlocking the potential in the EU-GCC
trade relations”
Tentative Activities
• Several business cases developed and published in best
practice catalogue
• EU-GCC Business Forum in 2015 in UAE
• EU-GCC Business Forum in Brussels in 2016
• EU-GCC Business Forum in Oman in 2017
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Round table meetings
Objective
Expected Output
• Informal meetings where members of the business community
in EU and GCC discuss relevant issues for enhancing EU-GCC
trade and business cooperation
• Identify new areas of cooperation, notably by enhancing political
dialogue and undertaking initiatives aimed at creating new links
between the respective business communities
• The issues will be determined in the kickoff meetings held in
2014, and will be further discussed
• The output will be infused into the policy advocacy and technical
working group work and impact of the project
Tentative Activities
• Improved mutual understanding of business practices and policy
processes.
• 11 roundtable meetings (15-25 participants at each roundtable
meeting) in EU and GCC
• The meetings will be half day sessions with key note on the
topic followed by group discussions
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Policy advocacy working groups
-A 2 day event attended by EU and GCC business organisations, held on a quarterly basis
Objective
Expected Output:
• Policy dialogue that facilitates exchange of information and best
practices and identifies business advocacy positions
• Issue brief, describing the topic and its effects on the private
sector
Tentative Activities
• First working group meeting to outline issue in detail
• Impact assessment of reforms/changes concerning the chosen
topic (Transport, SPS issues, energy sector, patents, IPR etc.)
• Position paper stating the recommendations to relevant
stakeholders
• Carry out research (or contract consultants to do so) on the
chosen topics by business specialist and by voluntary group of
participants
• Outline and strategy for business advocacy campaigns
• Second working group meeting to discuss, develop, and draft
common positions or national best practice
• EU-GCC policy committee established in the FGCCC
• Third working group meeting to decide and develop business
advocacy campaigns
• EU-GCC business policy network established in BE
• EU-GCC benchmarking report (10-20 indicators)
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Technical working groups
Objective
Topics
•
Provide technical expertise and analysis for the work of the EU-GCC
trade and business facility
•
How to develop stronger linkages between small and large
enterprises
•
regulatory framework
•
How to harmonise trade flows
•
for standardisation, trade and investment issues incl. market access,
visa regulations etc.;
•
How to develop clean-tech industries
•
Drafted Recommendations and analysis to the EU on ways to
improve sustainable business
•
How to be more energy efficient
•
How to build start-up eco systems in GCC
•
cooperation.
•
How to have the EU support start-ups and young businesses
entering the GCC
•
How to get more young people and women into entrepreneurship in
the GCC
•
How to improve competitiveness and investments in non-energy raw
materials, renewable, and/or clean energy
•
How to create a better business environment for sustainable
construction but also ICT, transport, water, waste management etc.
Tentative activities
•
9 technical working group meetings (15-25 participants at each
technical working group meeting)
•
Half-day sesessions with key note on the topics followed by group
discussions
Expected output
•
A set of shared findings/input/recommendations
•
How to improve sustainable business cooperation
•
Improved mutual understanding of business practices and policy
processes
•
Others to be agreed upon
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Entrepreneurship and SME training (Component 2)
Engaging with 4 different types of events:
The training
programme
consists a series
of premium
workshops and
match-making
events between
startups, SME’s
and corporates
in the EU and
the GCC
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GCC Startup Challenge
Startup Challenge:
•
•
Tentative Agenda:
We are hosting 6 semi-finals in each country, where 10 startups will
pitch and receive mentoring from high-profile mentors and
investors on their business.
1.
Welcome to morning startups
2.
First 5 startups pitch 5 min each followed by 2 min Q&A
The final will take place in Shajar where 2 startups from each country
will be selected to pitch.
3.
The 5 startups receive mentoring. 30 min per session
4.
Lunch
Locations
•
Kuwait City, Kuwait
5.
Welcome to afternoon startups
•
Saudi Arabia
6.
Last 5 startups pitch 5 min each, followed by 2 min Q&A
•
Manama. Bahrain
7.
The 5 startups receive mentoring. 30 min per session
•
Doha, Qatar
•
Oman
•
Sharjah, UAE
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One-day GCC Workshop:
1 Day GCC Workshop:
•
100 startups & SME’s are invited to a one-day fast-track workshop
on how to start a business or expanding business into the GCC,
covering essential topics such as building a team, LEAN, customer
acquisition& legal aspects. Expert mentors and entrepreneurs will
share best-practices.
Tentative Agenda:
1.
Welcome & introduction to doing business in the GCC
2.
The opportunities in GCC: An overview of business opportunities
3.
Representatives from GCC share best practices & experiences
4.
Best practices from an EU company successful in the GCC
5.
Expert tells about cultural & business differences
Locations
6.
Market entry workshop with participants in groups
•
London
7.
Groups present their results and share ideas
•
Berlin
•
Rome
•
Brussels
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Training Days
Training Days
• We welcome 100 aspiring entrepreneurs who have an
interest in starting up a business. We will take you through
the basics of starting up a business from building a team,
scaling, to signing a term sheet with an investor.
Locations
Kuwait - Saudi - Bahrain - Qatar - Oman - Dubai - London Berlin - Rome - Brussels
• London
• Berlin
• Rome
• Brussels
.
Tentative Agenda
1.
Welcome & introduction
2.
Overview of what it takes to start your own business
3.
Two startups share experiences
4.
Building a Team
5.
Training in Lean methodology
6.
Customer Acquisition
7.
Lawyer shares insights on the legal aspects
8.
Investor shares experience on investments in startups
9.
Workshops in groups
10.
Groups present their results and share ideas with each other
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Match-making
Match making:
• Matching corporates & startups to create high level contacts
that can form the basis for expanding into the regions
(EU/GCC). An opportunity to gain access to real customers, to
find new suppliers, technology, collaboration partners or
investment opportunities.
Tentative Agenda:
1.
Welcome & introduction
2.
Key note: Building business relations between EU and GCC
companies
3.
Selling to large corporates
4.
Match-making: 15 min rotation meetups between corporates
and SME’s
5.
Networking: Continuing the conversation
Locations:
• Dubai
• London
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Thank you
www.eu-gcc.org
Niels Tanderup Kristensen
+45 21 244708
[email protected]
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