GCC the Process and Achievements
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Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) Secretariat-General GCC The Process and Achievements 8th Edition (2014) Division of Information Affairs أ ت / ذ G C 08 The Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf . Secretariat General. Information Affairs Sector The GCC : Process and Achievement / Information Affairs Sector ._ 8th Ed ._ Riyadh : Secretariat General, 2014. 324 p. ; 27 cm GCC Union No. of GCC books: 098 - 0522/G.P./B/2014 # GCC. /Regional Cooperation/ / Security Cooperation/ /Political Cooperation / /Military Cooperation/ /Cultural Cooperation/ /Media/ /Youth/ / Sports / / Medical Aspects / / Education / / Economic Cooperation / / Economic Relations / / International Trade / / Environmental Cooperation / / Monetary Union / / Union Customs / / Transportation / / Communications / / Human Resources / / Water / / Patents / / Health / / Energy / / Industry / / Telecommunication / / Agricultural / / Law and Regulation / / Foreign Policy / / Statistics / / GCC Countries / / GCC / Their Majesties and Highnesses Leaders of the GCC States Participating in the 34th session of the GCC Supreme Council State of Kuwait, Decemberr2013 Contents Foreword by H.E. the Secretary General ............................................ 7 Preamble .............................................................................................. 9 SECTION (I): Cooperation in the Political, Military, Security and Media Areas Chapter 1: Cooperation in the Foreign of External Policy ................ 13 Chapter 2: Joint Military Action ....................................................... 33 Chapter 3: Security Cooperation ....................................................... 39 Chapter 4: Media Cooperation .......................................................... 52 SECTION (II): Economic Cooperation Chapter 1: Joint Economic Action Process ....................................... 61 Chapter 2: Financial and Economic Cooperation ............................. 65 Chapter 3: The Monetary Single and Single Currency ..................... 74 Chapter 4: Cooperation in Trade ....................................................... 84 Chapter 5: The Customs Union ......................................................... 87 Chapter 6: Cooperation in the Prevention of Injurious Practices in International Trade ........................................................ 100 Chapter 7: The GCC Common Market ........................................... 105 Chapter 8: Cooperation in the Field of Energy ............................... 121 Chapter 9: Cooperation in the Fields of Electricity and Water ....... 125 Chapter 10: Cooperation in the Field of Industry ........................... 133 Chapter 11: Cooperation in the Field of Patents ............................ 136 Chapter 12: Cooperation in the Field of Transportation ................ 141 Chapter 13: Cooperation in the Field of Telecommunications ....... 145 Chapter 14: Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture ..................... 151 Chapter 15: Cooperation in the Field of Planning, Statistics and Development ................................................................. 160 SECTION (III): Cooperation in the field of Human and Environment Affairs Chapter 1: Cooperation in Education .............................................. 171 Chapter 2: Scientific and Technical Cooperation ............................ 185 Chapter 3: Cooperation in the Field of Labor and Social Services.. 195 Chapter 4 : Joint Cultural Action .................................................... 202 Chapter 5: Environmental Cooperation .......................................... 212 Chapter 6: Cooperation in the Field of Health ................................ 225 Chapter 7: Joint Municipal Action .................................................. 228 Chapter 8: Joint Action in the Field of Housing ............................. 235 Chapter 9: Joint Youth Action ........................................................ 238 Chapter 10: Joint Sports Action ...................................................... 244 SECTION (IV): Judicial and Legal Cooperation and Consultative Commission of the Supreme Council Chapter 1: Legal and Judicial Cooperation ..................................... 251 Chapter 2: Consultative Commission of the Supreme Council ...... 277 Chapter 3: Cooperation in the Field of Auditing and Financial Control ........................................................................... 282 Chapter 4: Cooperation in the Field of Zakat .................................. 287 SECTION (V): Regional Cooperation and Economic Relations with other Countries and Groupings Chapter 1: Cooperation with the Republic of Yemen ..................... 295 Chapter 2: Cooperation with Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Kingdom of Morocco .................................................... 300 Chapter 3 : Economic Relations with other Countries and Economic Groupings ...................................................................... 303 Chapter 4 : Strategic Dialogues with Countries and Groupings .... 315 Foreword Thanks to the prudent policies of their Majesties and Highnesses Leaders of the GCC States, the GCC process continues to yield many achievements in all fields. This entity has become a model of regional integration featured by a prosperous Common Market, which has opened the doors wide for the free movement of individuals and flow of capital. It enhances the tendency towards diversification of the sources of income by supporting industrial and service sectors in all Member States. Moreover, the Customs Union facilitates the flow of goods and increases the volume of intra-GCC trade. The GCC addresses the everyday life of the citizens; they can freely move around, reside in the Member States without restrictions, and engage in business activities and professions. They also benefit from free public education opportunities for their children, and receive medical care at all public hospitals, in addition to many other rights acquired within the framework of the GCC economic citizenship. In the security realm, the GCC States are acknowledging policies and procedures that enhance joint security cooperation. In this respect, the GCC States have taken an important step by adopting the Security Agreement, and establishing the GCC Police, based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This step is expected to enhance coordination among various security agencies, and counter terrorism. In the military area, the GCC States are building up a joint defense system that would ensure collective security. In this context, their Majesties and Highnesses Leaders of the GCC States agreed, in the recent session of the Supreme Council, to establish a Unified Military Command, which is considered as a vital step towards supporting and enhancing defense capabilities. The GCC States have also endorsed a GCC academy for strategic and security studies which will locate in the United Arab Emirates. Furthermore, their Highnesses and Excellencies, the Ministers of Defense 7 in the GCC States have laid down the foundation stone for the Maritime Security Coordination Center in the Kingdom of Bahrain. However, the human element remains the pivot of the integration process. This has been demonstrated in the great care leaders of the GCC States pay to the youth, who represent a broad percentage of the population. In the GCC summit held in Kuwait, in December 2013, their Majesties and Highnesses Leaders of the GCC Member States underscored the importance to develop the youth capabilities. They instructed the Secretariat General to undertake a study to establish an entrepreneurship fund to help assist the youth in their small and medium scale projects. They also agreed to set up a permanent program for the youth in order to improve their competence, trigger their humanitarian and developmental contributions, develop their leadership potentials, positive values, and promote their GCC sense of identity. The GCC achievements accomplished over the last year are indicative of its vital and extended process. They certify that GCC integration has no bounds and is capable of opening up new horizons for joint action, which contributes to enhancing the welfare of the citizens, economic prosperity and stability of the Member States Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani Secretary General 8 Preamble The Secretariat General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf is pleased to introduce the Eighth Edition of its annual publication, "GCC: Process and Achievements". This book presents a comprehensive description of the objectives and achievements of the GCC joint action over the past years. It is divided into sections and chapters: Section (I) addresses the objectives and achievements in foreign policy, defense, internal security and media fields. The GCC has achieved several successes through its methods of consultation, coordination, and unified standpoint, as well as developing common policies and collective actions at times of peace and crises. Section (II) addresses the economic cooperation in all fields. It explains shifting from the Free Trade Area established in 1983, to the Customs Union in 2003, allowing the GCC States to enter the second phase of economic integration. The Common Market was launched in January 2008 after fulfilling most of its requirements, and the GCC economic citizenship has become a reality. The steps that have been taken towards the inauguration of the Monetary Union are explained in this section. The remaining chapters