Jeddah: The UAE delegation arrived in Jeddah on Monday to take part in the 106th joint-GCC ministerial meeting discussing the full implementation of the GCC Customs Union in early 2011.
The delegation included Shaikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs.
The delegation members were received by Abdul Rahman Al Attiyah, GCC Secretary General, Dr. Nazar Bin Obaid Madani, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Al Asri Saeed Al Daheri, UAE Ambassador to Riyadh.
The agenda of the meeting include progress of talks with friendly countries economic blocs on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).
Meanwhile, an extraordinary meeting of the GCC Ministers of finance and economy was held to discuss mechanisms for collecting and distributing customs revenues, as well as standardising customs tariffs.
It also seeks to resolve through an agreement the protective custom duties that have been partially or fully implemented by some member-states, which will in turn ease the movement of commodities that are subjected to these fees in GCC countries.
The meeting also seeks to resolve matters pertaining to the protection of local agents that is enforced in some GCC member-states.
The meeting also discussed the necessary steps to introduce the unified customs tariff in accordance with the Customs Union requirements.
