UK signs £3.7bn trade deal with six Gulf states
The United Kingdom signed a free-trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council, representing Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait, projected to be worth £3.7bn. The deal cuts tariffs for UK exporters and broadens market access in digital and financial services.
The agreement was signed in Riyadh after more than five years of talks. Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds described it as the UK's second-largest deal since Brexit. The government's impact assessment projects the agreement will add £1.6bn a year to UK GDP.
The deal phases tariffs to zero on UK-origin automotive, machinery, food and pharmaceutical exports. New access opens up in digital services for data flows and cloud services, while a mutual recognition framework is set for legal, architectural and consultancy professions.
The UK office of the International Chamber of Commerce projects faster Gulf sovereign-fund deployment into UK infrastructure and fintech. Critics argued the agreement lacks sufficient human-rights safeguards; the government replied that those concerns 'will be addressed through a separate diplomatic channel'. The deal will take effect in autumn 2026 after parliamentary ratification.
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