What changed

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

P10_TA(2025)0326

on relationsRelations between the EU and Saudi Arabia

(2025/2082(INI))

Committee on Foreign Affairs

PE775.425

European Parliament resolution of 16 December 2025 on relations between the EU and Saudi Arabia (2025/2082(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Articles 205-222 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Saudi Arabia, in particular those of 25 October 2018 on the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul1,Istanbul, of 11 February 2021 on the humanitarian and political situation in Yemen2Yemen and of 8 July 2021 on the death penalty in Saudi Arabia, notably the cases of Mustafa Hashem al-Darwish and Abdullah al-Howaiti3,al-Howaiti,

– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 18 May 2022 on a strategic partnership with the Gulf (JOIN(2022)0013), and to the Council conclusions of 20 June 2022 thereon,

5. Reaffirms that the EU is committed to supporting Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of socio-economic diversification and reform, including the promotion of sustainable development;

6. Reaffirms that the EU remains committed to advancing a safe, mutually beneficial, visa-free travel arrangement with the five remaining GCC countries, so as to ensure equal treatment of them, which could be assessed in the context of the new EU visa strategy; notes the significant economic importance of Saudi Arabian tourists for the EU Member States, particularly in supporting key sectors such as hospitality, retail and cultural industries; underlines that Saudi citizens do not present a source of irregular migration pressure4,pressure, and therefore invites the Commission and the Member States to consider the introduction of a Schengen visa waiver once the cascade is granted to facilitate tourism, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and further strengthen economic and cultural ties between the EU and Saudi Arabia;

7. Calls for the EU to further facilitate regulatory cooperation, which will aid Saudi Arabia’s efforts to establish rules and procedures for successful energy diversification and socio-economic reform; encourages stronger partnerships between EU and Saudi Arabian educational and research entities, including via programmes such as Erasmus Mundus and Horizon Europe; stresses the importance of creating the necessary conditions for increased student mobility; highlights how enhancing exchange opportunities for young people will significantly contribute to consolidating the relationship between the EU, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region as a whole;

11. Calls on Saudi Arabia to continue EU-Saudi Arabian cooperation on counterterrorism and the prevention of radicalisation, which must be conducted in line with international human rights standards; stresses the importance of far-reaching EU-Saudi Arabia alignment in these fields;

12. Acknowledges Saudi Arabia’s efforts to encourage de-escalation in relation to Israel’s military operations in Gaza; recalls its position expressed in its resolution of 11 September 2025 on Gaza at breaking point: EU action to combat famine, the urgent need to release hostages and move towards a two-state solution5,solution, and welcomes the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the two-state solution of 29 July 2025, and its endorsement by the UN General Assembly on 12 September 2025;

13. Acknowledges the efforts made by Saudi Arabia and certain other Arab States to normalise diplomatic relations with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords; calls for the EU to support initiatives aimed at building broad regional and international backing for a better future in Arab-Israeli relations within the EU framework of the accepted two-state solution, in order to promote regional stability;

28. Underlines Saudi Arabia’s role as an increasingly important player in mineral supply chains and its efforts to align with international best practices; stresses that broadening the scope of EU-Saudi Arabian cooperation in this realm will be key to further consolidating the EU’s de-risking strategy in this regard, and its quest to diversify its raw material supply;

29. Recognises that Saudi Arabia has made progress in tackling its high youth unemployment rate, lowering it from 35.0135,01 % in 2006 to 16 % in 2023; recommends that Saudi Arabia continue to prioritise this issue;

30. Welcomes the approach by Saudi Arabian authorities in adopting more tolerance and moving away from restrictive religious policies; notes the direct link between tolerance and sustainable economic growth, underlining that openness and inclusiveness foster conditions for innovation, investment and social progress; commends the positive curriculum reforms carried out in Saudi Arabia, including, notably, the removal of discriminatory religious content, while encouraging further progress in this regard; encourages Saudi Arabia to continue these reforms;

31. Highlights the significant progress Saudi Arabia has made regarding women’s participation in the workforce, which has risen to 36 %, and the fact that women have been granted the right to drive and to travel without male guardianship; underlines that female labour-force participation in Saudi Arabia has more than doubled since 2017; notes that Saudi Arabian women now own 45 % of small and medium-sized enterprises and 17 % of all enterprises; considers that these developments reflect the impact of legal reforms introduced since 2018, including the lifting of the driving ban6,ban, the adoption of an anti-harassment law, and new personal status regulations raising the minimum marriage age to 18 and strengthening women’s autonomy; highlights these achievements and encourages the continuation of reforms aimed at further advancing women’s rights and participation in public life, with women currently accounting for 41 % of the civil service – including senior diplomatic posts – 20 % of the membership of the Shura Council and the first Arab Muslim woman to travel to space; notes that, in spite of the progress, challenges remain, including regarding the Personal Status Law and inequality between men and women in marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance and property rights;

32. Notes that Saudi Arabia has launched a series of ambitious infrastructure projects ahead of its hosting of EXPO 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup; relies on the capacity of the Saudi Arabian Government to guarantee workers’ rights to free association, and stresses that concerns remain regarding the treatment and rights of workers, and about the death rate of migrants in workplace-related accidents in Saudi Arabia; acknowledges the reforms introduced under Saudi Arabia’s Labour Reform Initiative, while calling on Saudi Arabia to ensure the full implementation of the 2025 abolishment of the Kafala sponsorship system and to guarantee workers’ rights to strike and engage in collective bargaining; expects Saudi Arabia to seize the opportunity presented by the 2034 FIFA World Cup and to have continued implementing reforms by then; urges Saudi Arabia to comply with EU legislation on due diligence and monitoring of hiring companies to ensure they cover all the costs and fees related to the recruitment of workers, and to introduce measures for the reimbursement of illegal recruitment fees paid by workers;

41. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Shura Council; calls for this resolution to be translated into Arabic.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This report comes at a pivotal moment for both the European Union and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As the Kingdom pursues an ambitious and far-reaching transformation under its Vision 2030 strategy, the European Parliament is enhancing its engagement by appointing, for the first time, a dedicated rapporteur for EU–Saudi relations. This reflects not only Saudi Arabia’s growing strategic importance—including as a leading member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—but also the Parliament’s intention to play a more proactive role in shaping this evolving partnership.

Saudi Arabia is undergoing a complex and ambitious process of socio-economic reform, focused on modernising institutions, expanding social openness, and reducing dependence on oil. These changes present new opportunities for EU engagement, particularly in areas of shared interest such as economic diversification, innovation, climate action, education, and regional stability.

In a context of shifting geopolitical dynamics and heightened uncertainty, the EU must deepen its ties with key international actors, particularly those in the Gulf region. Saudi Arabia is increasingly asserting itself on the regional and global stage—not only in the fields of diplomacy and energy, but also through its growing involvement in peace efforts and multilateral cooperation. This report underlines the significant potential for convergence, particularly in advancing political stability and security across the broader Middle East.

Rather than offering an exhaustive overview of EU–Saudi relations, this report proposes a constructive roadmap for deepening and balancing our cooperation—politically, economically, and socially. It also underscores the importance of finalising a future Strategic Partnership Agreement to formalise and expand bilateral engagement.

Human rights and fundamental freedoms remain central to this relationship. The report acknowledges progress in areas such as women’s empowerment and civil society participation, while encouraging continued reform and greater alignment with international human rights standards.

Ultimately, the message is clear: the EU and Saudi Arabia share a strong mutual interest in working together. With mutual respect, open dialogue, and a pragmatic, forward-looking approach, this partnership can contribute meaningfully to addressing the complex challenges of today’s interconnected world.

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that she included in her report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the report, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register1, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

Human Rights Commission

Human Rights Watch

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Kingdom of Belgium

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

MINORITY POSITION

pursuant to Rule 56(4) of the Rules of Procedure

Ville Niinistö on behalf of the Greens/EFA group

On behalf of the Greens/EFA group, I acknowledge the important role Saudi Arabia plays in the Middle East and beyond, notably in regional diplomacy. Constructive EU-Saudi engagement is of mutual interest and necessary to address shared global challenges, including energy transition and regional stability.

However, Saudi Arabia’s poor human rights record remains a significant obstacle to deepening EU-Saudi relations, a fact this report whitewashes. The escalating surge in executions, rampant violations of due process, all-out repression of peaceful dissent on- and offline, travel bans on women human rights defenders and severe exploitation of migrant workers under the Kafala system, evidence systemic human rights violations in Saudi Arabia.

Therefore, the deepening of EU-Saudi relations, notably the EU-Saudi Special Partnership Agreement, must be conditional on tangible and measurable human rights progress. This would include a moratorium on the death penalty, the ratification of core UN and ILO conventions and reforms to comply with international human and labour rights standards.

Without such conditionality the European Parliament falls short of defending a principled EU foreign policy and misses the opportunity to insist that human and labour rights, justice and the rule of law need to play a fundamental role in EU-Saudi relations.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Date adopted

4.11.2025

Result of final vote

+ : 40

- : 10

0 : 8

Members present for the final vote

Mika Aaltola, Lucia Annunziata, Petras Auštrevičius, Jordan Bardella, Wouter Beke, Robert Biedroń, Adam Bielan, Ioan-Rareş Bogdan, Helmut Brandstätter, Michael Gahler, Geadis Geadi, Giorgos Georgiou, Bernard Guetta, Hana Jalloul Muro, Rasa Juknevičienė, Sandra Kalniete, Łukasz Kohut, Ondřej Kolář, Rihards Kols, Andrey Kovatchev, Sergey Lagodinsky, Reinhold Lopatka, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Marion Maréchal, David McAllister, Vangelis Meimarakis, Sven Mikser, Francisco José Millán Mon, Hannah Neumann, Leoluca Orlando, Urmas Paet, Kostas Papadakis, Tonino Picula, Thijs Reuten, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Mounir Satouri, Andreas Schieder, Villy Søvndal, Stanislav Stoyanov, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, António Tânger Corrêa, Marta Temido, Cristian Terheş, Hermann Tertsch, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Roberto Vannacci, Nicola Zingaretti

Substitutes present for the final vote

Jaroslav Bžoch, Daniel Caspary, Jan Farský, Tomasz Froelich, Merja Kyllönen, András László, Yannis Maniatis, Ville Niinistö, Ana Miguel Pedro, Jonas Sjöstedt, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote

Javier Moreno Sánchez, Mariateresa Vivaldini

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

40

+

ECR

Bielan Adam, Kols Rihards, Sturdza Serban Dimitrie, Terhes Cristian, Vivaldini Mariateresa

PPE

Aaltola Mika, Beke Wouter, Bogdan Ioan-Rares, Farský Jan, Gahler Michael, Jukneviciene Rasa, Kalniete Sandra, Kohut Lukasz, Kolár Ondrej, Kovatchev Andrey, Lopatka Reinhold, López-Istúriz White Antonio, McAllister David, Meimarakis Vangelis, Millán Mon Francisco José, Pedro Ana Miguel

PfE

Bzoch Jaroslav, Vannacci Roberto

Renew

Austrevicius Petras, Brandstätter Helmut, Guetta Bernard, Paet Urmas, Strack-Zimmermann Marie-Agnes

S&D

Annunziata Lucia, Biedron Robert, Jalloul Muro Hana, Maniatis Yannis, Mikser Sven, Moreno Sánchez Javier, Picula Tonino, Reuten Thijs, Sánchez Amor Nacho, Schieder Andreas, Temido Marta, Zingaretti Nicola

10

-

ESN

Stoyanov Stanislav

NI

Papadakis Kostas

The Left

Kyllönen Merja, Sjöstedt Jonas

Verts/ALE

Lagodinsky Sergey, Neumann Hannah, Niinistö Ville, Orlando Leoluca, Satouri Mounir, Søvndal Villy

8

0

ECR

Maréchal Marion

ESN

Froelich Tomasz

PfE

Bardella Jordan, László András, Tânger Corrêa António, Tertsch Hermann, Thionnet Pierre-Romain

The Left

Georgiou Giorgos

Key:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstentions