Brussels, June 16, 2022, SPA –--Saudi Parliamentary Friendship Committee with the European Parliament at the Shoura Council, headed by the Council Member and Chairman of the Committee Dr. Ayman bin Saleh Fadel, held the 15th parliamentary meeting between Saudi Arabia and the European Union, with EU Parliament's Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the Arab Peninsula (DARP) Hannah Neumann at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Brussels today, with the participation of the head of Saudi mission to the EU, Ambassador Saad bin Mohammed Al-Arifi. At the outset of the meeting, Dr. Ayman Fadel praised the historical relations between the Kingdom and the EU, highlighting the growth in trade exchange between the two parties, looking forward at the same time to strengthening and developing bilateral ties at all levels. For her part, Neumann appreciated the Saudi delegation’s visit, stressing the importance of both sides working to strengthen relations between the Kingdom and the EU, and strengthening prospects for close cooperation. During the meeting, Dr. Ayman Fadel reiterated the Kingdom's position on the current Russian-Ukrainian crisis, which calls for a comprehensive political solution to end the conflict, wishing to reach a political solution to the crisis as soon as possible. Neumann stressed the importance of the projects that are being implemented in Saudi Arabia, including the NEOM project, pointing out the common points and goals that combine the Saudi Vision 2030 and the EU countries. She praised the progress and development achieved by the Kingdom concerning women empowerment. The Saudi Parliamentary Friendship Committee’s members gave an overview of the recent changes and updates to legislation and regulations, the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, the constant efforts exerted to attract foreign investments, and the facilities provided to foreign industries in the Kingdom, highlighting the existing various opportunities that enable the realization of common interests between the Kingdom and the EU. The Saudi delegation also underlined the initiatives announced by the Kingdom in environmental preservation and the use of alternative energy, presenting a summary of these initiatives, and the role played by the Shura Council in this regard. The European Parliament stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two sides, stressing that the decision to exempt the Kingdom’s citizens from entry visas to the EU, when taken, will achieve many common interests between the Kingdom and the EU countries. The Shura delegation included Dr. Khalid bin Mahmoud Zubair, Raeda bint Abdullah Abu Nayan, Dr. Mutaib bin Ayed Al-Mutairi, Dr. Hadi bin Ali Al-Yami, and Huda bint Abdulrahman Al-Helisi. --SPA 17:34 LOCAL TIME 14:34 GMT 0017 www.spa.gov.sa/w1747346