Philippines EU Launch Security Dialogue

To elevate strategic partnership, the Philippines and the European Union have agreed to establish a formal security and defense dialogue aimed at tackling a wide range of 21st-century threats — from cyberattacks and foreign interference to maritime security challenges and hybrid warfare. The move, announced on Monday during the visit of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to Manila, marks a significant deepening of geopolitical cooperation between the two sides.

At a joint press conference held in Taguig City, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo described the new mechanism as a milestone in the evolving EU-Philippine relationship, emphasizing the urgency of addressing transnational threats in an increasingly unstable global environment. “We hope that through this dialogue, we will remain proactive and united in addressing threats that transcend borders — including cyberattacks and foreign manipulation of information,” Manalo stated.

Kallas, who also serves as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, echoed this sentiment. She emphasized that the dialogue would provide a dedicated platform for deepening security collaboration, sharing strategic expertise, and exploring potential joint initiatives in defense and crisis response. “This is about addressing current geopolitical challenges together,” Kallas said. “We share a commitment to the rules-based international order and reject any unilateral attempts to alter the status quo — including coercion.”

The inaugural session of the security dialogue is scheduled for the last quarter of 2025, and is expected to cover a broad agenda, including cybersecurity, maritime security, counterterrorism, hybrid threats, and crisis coordination. The initiative is embedded within the broader framework of the EU-Philippines Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA), which came into force in 2018 and initially focused on issues like terrorism, arms trafficking, and organized crime. The inclusion of a formal defense track now reflects a strategic recalibration in response to recent geopolitical flashpoints.

The timing of this development is no coincidence. Both the EU and Southeast Asia are navigating a sharply deteriorating security environment — from the protracted war in Ukraine to growing instability in the Indo-Pacific. For the Philippines in particular, tensions with China have reached alarming levels, with repeated maritime confrontations in the South China Sea. These have included aggressive actions by the Chinese Coast Guard such as ramming Filipino vessels and deploying high-pressure water cannons within Manila’s Exclusive Economic Zone, drawing international condemnation and diplomatic protests.

Just days before the Manila announcement, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. delivered a strongly worded rebuke of Chinese actions at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, accusing Beijing of fostering a “deficit of trust” and destabilizing the region. During the same defense summit, Teodoro met bilaterally with his counterparts from France, Sweden, and Lithuania, highlighting Manila’s growing engagement with European powers in both military and strategic terms.

The establishment of this new EU-Philippines defense dialogue is therefore not an isolated event but a key pillar in the Marcos administration’s broader security realignment, which increasingly favors like-minded democratic partners capable of reinforcing Manila’s sovereignty and regional peace efforts.

Beyond defense, economic ties were also high on the agenda. Both Manalo and Kallas reaffirmed their commitment to finalizing a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and the EU. Negotiation rounds have progressed steadily since resuming in 2023, with the next round scheduled to take place in June 2025 in Brussels. “We welcome the firm commitment of both sides,” Manalo said, “and we hope the EU and its member states will continue to support our shared goal of concluding a comprehensive, balanced, and modern trade pact.”

As the Philippines charts a course through an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, its strategic pivot toward the European Union — in both security and economic domains — signals a maturing foreign policy. It underscores Manila’s growing resolve to defend its national interests, build resilient alliances, and promote a rules-based international order in a time of mounting global uncertainty.