The Council of the European Union has published a notice of meeting and provisional agenda scheduling a meeting of its Middle East/Gulf Working Party for 6 July 2026 at 14:30 in the Justus Lipsius Building in Brussels. The working party will discuss EU-GCC relations and Iran, with two separate agenda items dedicated to Iran, followed by any other business.
The meeting, convened by the Council's secretariat, is a routine preparatory body that examines policy and legislative files related to the Middle East and the Gulf region. No specific decisions or outcomes are listed in the provisional agenda, which typically serves as a forum for member states to exchange views and coordinate positions ahead of higher-level Council meetings.
The agenda's focus on EU-GCC relations comes amid ongoing efforts to deepen cooperation between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council, including trade, energy, and security ties. The separate Iran items suggest discussions may cover the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal, regional security, or human rights, though no details are provided.
Stakeholders affected include EU member states' foreign ministries, which coordinate policy through the working party, as well as the European External Action Service (EEAS), which provides input. The meeting may also have implications for EU businesses operating in the Gulf region and Iran, depending on any policy shifts discussed. Civil society groups monitoring EU-Iran relations may follow the outcomes.
No follow-up decisions are scheduled at this stage; the working party's conclusions may feed into future Foreign Affairs Council meetings.