UK – GCC trade deal

The negotiations for a trade agreement between the UK and the Gulf States poses serious risks to human rights, labour protections, and climate action. Given the Gulf region’s track record, the UK should reconsider these negotiations to ensure any agreement aligns with British public values and international commitments.

 

Overview

The UK has been negotiating a trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a bloc of six nations (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) since June 2022.

TJM opposes a UK-GCC trade agreement due to the GCC’s poor human rights record, weak labour protections, and lack of meaningful climate commitments. Despite these concerns, the UK Government appears willing to weaken its own standards in pursuit of market access. Any deal must reflect sustainability, equity, and human rights commitments, rather than prioritising economic gains at the expense of fundamental values.

Concerns & risks 

Human rights violations

The GCC includes some of the world’s most repressive regimes, with widespread violations of civil and political rights. According to the House of Lords Library:

• All six GCC states restrict press and religious freedoms and limit political participation.
• All retain the death penalty, with some using it extensively for political dissidents.
• Same-sex relationships remain criminalised in all GCC countries except Bahrain.

On workers’ rights, the situation is equally concerning:

• Five of the six GCC nations are rated by the ITUC Global Rights Index as having “no guarantee of rights,” the worst possible category.
• The kafala system—a sponsorship scheme across the region—grants employers excessive control over migrant workers, restricting their ability to leave jobs or the country without permission.

A UK-GCC trade deal is unlikely to contain any meaningful human rights provisions. The UAE’s Trade Minister has explicitly warned that the UK must “tone down” human and workers’ rights standards if it wants greater market access. This is why organisations such as Human Rights Watch and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) oppose the deal.

Climate risks

A UK-GCC trade agreement would undermine the UK’s climate commitments. The Gulf states’ economies are heavily reliant on fossil fuels, and their climate policies lag behind global standards:

• All six GCC countries rank in the world’s top ten for per capita carbon emissions.
• The trade deal is expected to increase greenhouse gas emissions in both the UK and the Gulf region.

Signing a deal with fossil fuel-dependent economies directly contradicts the UK’s net zero ambitions and weakens its credibility as a leader on climate action.

Public opposition

Polling conducted by TJM in November 2024 highlights overwhelming public opposition to a UK-GCC deal:

• Only 21% of the UK public support a trade agreement with the GCC.
• 68% believe the UK should not sign trade deals with countries that have poor human rights records.

Despite this, the UK Government continues to push forward, demonstrating a disconnect between its trade policy and public values.