ABSTRACT
Qatar is the focus of this chapter. Qatar is highly dependent on the production and export of oil and gas that provide the backbone of its economy and the basis of its considerable wealth. Its reliance on oil and gas also makes Qatar vulnerable to price fluctuations and the phase-out of fossil fuels. Efforts to diversify the economy have only been effective to a limited extent so far. These efforts and other circumstances (e.g., the geopolitical position of Qatar in the Gulf region and the Middle East more generally) provide important entry points for developing EU-Qatar relations beyond fossil fuels. EU-Qatar relations have grown closer over the years, and a Cooperation Agreement was signed in 2018. Furthermore, EU-Qatar relations are embedded in broader cooperation between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council. The chapter argues that the important and evolving areas of trade and investment as well as energy possess significant potential to integrate decarbonisation (e.g., through developing Qatar’s significant renewables potential). Given the precarious situation in the Middle East, security and geopolitics form another key area of relations between Qatar and the EU.
