Statement on Europe’s Strategic Responsibility in Gulf Security
The Brussels International Center (BIC) calls on the European Union to engage more actively, directly, and strategically in the security of the Gulf and in the protection of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
More than ever, Europe’s energy security, economic stability, and geopolitical interests have proved deeply connected to the stability of the Gulf region. The Strait of Hormuz constitutes one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, through which a significant share of global energy supplies and commercial trade transit daily. The current disruption to navigation in the Strait carries immediate consequences for European economies, energy markets, supply chains, and political stability.
In the face of growing regional tensions and repeated disruptions of maritime security, the European Union can no longer remain a secondary actor in Gulf security affairs. Europe has a direct strategic interest in ensuring the continued openness, stability, and security of maritime routes in the Gulf.
The BIC therefore supports stronger and more operational Europe–Gulf security cooperation aimed at guaranteeing the continued opening, security, and freedom of navigation of the Strait of Hormuz. The European Union must take a more active role alongside Gulf partners in reopening the Strait to international trade and energy flows, preventing any future disruption to maritime transit, and protecting critical shipping routes and infrastructure from further escalation or coercion.
A secure Gulf is not only a regional necessity; it is a fundamental European interest. The European Union must recognize that the protection of the Strait of Hormuz and the broader security of the Gulf are inseparable from Europe’s own energy resilience, economic security, and geopolitical credibility.
