Can a small archipelagic nation and a continental union truly reshape the balance of maritime power in the Indo-Pacific? That question defined the latest round of Philippines–European Union (EU) talks in Brussels, a meeting that blended diplomacy, law, and shared conviction into a single message: the rule of law at sea still matters. At the heart of this renewed engagement lies a shared commitment to a rules-based maritime order, anchored in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the enduring principle that the seas must remain open, lawful, and free from coercion.
Beyond reaffirming legal principles, the two sides stood united on a defining issue of the era, upholding the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award. In an ocean increasingly defined by might over right, Brussels’ recognition of the ruling’s binding force signaled a bold alignment with Manila’s fight to defend its sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. Together, they condemned coercive actions that threaten peace and maritime livelihoods, reaffirming that law, not force, should steer the course of the Indo-Pacific.
But this partnership is not built on diplomacy alone. It is being translated into action through maritime security and defense cooperation, from intelligence-sharing and coastal surveillance to joint initiatives under the EU’s CRIMARIO and ESIWA projects. These programs empower the Philippine Coast Guard with the tools, technology, and training needed to strengthen maritime domain awareness and respond swiftly to evolving threats, from “shadow fleets” to piracy and cyberattacks on critical infrastructure.
At the same time, both sides are doubling down on human security, recognizing the immense global role of Filipino seafarers, who make up nearly a quarter of the world’s maritime workforce. EU support through projects like SCOPE and sustained recognition of STCW certifications not only preserve $6.7 billion in annual remittances but also affirm the dignity and safety of the workers who keep world trade afloat.
Yet the alliance’s vision extends beyond defense and labor, it reaches into the ocean itself. Through the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, the Philippines and EU are pledging to safeguard marine ecosystems, combat pollution, and promote a sustainable blue economy that balances security with stewardship. This makes the partnership as much about protecting people as it is about protecting the planet.
Looking ahead, the two sides are steering their cooperation into a future of deeper operational alignment, focusing on Maritime Domain Awareness, Coast Guard cooperation, and non-traditional security challenges such as climate resilience and cyber threats. As they prepare for their next Subcommittee meeting in Manila in 2026, both Manila and Brussels are navigating toward a common horizon: a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, where law, sustainability, and solidarity form the compass guiding shared prosperity.
Upholding the Rules-Based Order in the South China Sea (SCS/WPS)
The centerpiece of the Philippines–European Union (EU) maritime dialogue in Brussels was the shared reaffirmation of a rules-based international order, a principle most visibly tested in the South China Sea (SCS), or the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Both sides shown that regional peace, security, and sustainable maritime governance hinge on the full respect for international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, which remains one of the most consequential legal rulings in contemporary maritime jurisprudence.
The Arbitral Award of July 12, 2016, rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, was jointly reaffirmed by Manila and Brussels as “final and legally binding” on all parties. The EU delegation emphasized that the Award has become a legal precedent entrenched in global jurisprudence, having been cited in multiple rulings by international bodies such as the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Of particular importance, the EU explicitly supported the Award’s determination that the Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal) lies within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), a finding that directly counters China’s expansive “nine-dash line” claim. This legal endorsement represents not just diplomatic backing, but a principled stance in defense of international maritime law and coastal state rights.
Both parties also voiced strong joint opposition to “illegal, coercive, or aggressive actions” that threaten regional stability and undermine freedom of navigation. This phrasing, though diplomatically measured, unmistakably refers to Beijing’s increasing use of “gray-zone tactics”, including the harassment of resupply missions, deployment of maritime militia, and use of water cannons and ramming incidents against Philippine vessels. Manila, in turn, expressed deep appreciation for the EU’s timely, consistent, and decisive statements condemning these actions. Over the past year, EU institutions and member states, including France, Germany, and the Netherlands, have issued formal declarations backing the Philippines’ sovereign rights and urging all actors to settle disputes exclusively through UNCLOS mechanisms rather than through coercion or unilateral actions.
This convergence between the Philippines and the EU represents more than diplomatic solidarity; it reflects the emergence of a broader international coalition to defend maritime law as a global norm. For Manila, it transforms the 2016 Arbitral Award from a national legal victory into an instrument of collective accountability. For the EU, it operationalizes its Indo-Pacific Strategy, projecting Europe’s legal and normative influence into one of the world’s most contested maritime spaces. Together, they reaffirm a message that echoes beyond Southeast Asia: might does not make right, law does.
Enhancing Maritime Security and Defence Cooperation (Hard Security)
Moving decisively beyond political dialogue, the Philippines and the European Union (EU) are entering a new phase of practical cooperation, one that anchors diplomacy in hard security mechanisms and maritime capacity building. This evolution was marked by the formal launch of the EU–Philippines Security and Defence Dialogue (SDD) in Manila in June 2025, establishing a permanent platform for structured defense engagement between Brussels and Manila. For the Philippines, this marks a major milestone in diversifying its security partnerships beyond its traditional allies, while for the EU, it represents the operationalization of its Indo-Pacific Strategy through tangible cooperation with a front-line state in one of the world’s most contested maritime theaters.
The dialogue’s agenda is notably comprehensive, focusing on three core pillars: Maritime Security (MarSec), Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP), and the monitoring of emerging maritime threats, including the activities of “shadow fleets” vessels operating under obscure ownership or false flags to evade sanctions and engage in illicit trade, illegal fishing, or smuggling. By expanding the focus from conventional naval security to the full maritime domain awareness spectrum, the partnership aligns with the Philippines’ Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC) and the EU’s Maritime Security Strategy (EUMSS), both of which prioritize integrated, multi-agency responses to evolving maritime challenges.
One of the most successful joint initiatives highlighted in Brussels was the EU’s Critical Maritime Routes in the Indian Ocean (CRIMARIO) Project, which has recently expanded its reach into the Indo-Pacific region. Under CRIMARIO II, financed with €17.5 million (2020–2025), the project provides training, data-sharing systems, and maritime situational awareness tools to enhance the operational coordination of partner navies and coast guards. A key product of this initiative is the IORIS (Indo-Pacific Regional Information Sharing) platform, a secure, web-based communication and coordination system designed for real-time maritime information exchange. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has emerged as one of the most active users of IORIS in Southeast Asia, integrating it into both training programs and live operational scenarios to coordinate with civilian maritime agencies and regional partners. The system’s interoperability has significantly boosted the PCG’s ability to track vessel movements, respond to incidents, and strengthen inter-agency coordination across Philippine waters and beyond.
Complementing CRIMARIO, the EU and the Philippines continue to collaborate under the Enhancing Security Cooperation in and with Asia (ESIWA) project, a broader strategic framework aimed at deepening security partnerships with Asian democracies. Through ESIWA, the EU provides expert exchanges, policy consultations, and training modules on hybrid threats, maritime domain awareness, and defense technology cooperation. This combination of CRIMARIO’s operational dimension and ESIWA’s policy capacity-building creates a dual-layered approach, one that merges practical defense readiness with strategic policymaking.
Ultimately, these efforts reflect a deliberate convergence: the EU’s strategic objective of ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime stability in the Indo-Pacific intersects seamlessly with the Philippines’ goal of building a credible, self-reliant defense posture under its Horizon 3 modernization agenda. The transition from soft to hard security collaboration shows one crucial reality, the defense of maritime law and sovereignty now demands not only diplomacy but also deterrence, coordination, and capability.
Filipino Seafarers’ Welfare, Training, and Economic Impact
At the core of the Philippines–European Union (EU) maritime partnership lies a human dimension that anchors the entire cooperation, the welfare, training, and global significance of Filipino seafarers, who serve as the lifeblood of international maritime trade. Representing an estimated 25% of the world’s seafaring workforce, Filipino mariners are indispensable to the global shipping industry. Their discipline, technical competence, and resilience have made the Philippines the world’s largest supplier of maritime labor, a distinction that not only reflects national pride but also carries profound economic and diplomatic weight.
The EU remains a particularly vital partner in this domain. Today, approximately 50,000 Filipino masters and officers serve aboard EU-flagged vessels, making the Philippines the top non-EU source of certified maritime officers. These workers form the human bridge between Manila and Brussels, underpinning both trade and transnational cooperation. Economically, the contribution is staggering: seafarers’ remittances totaled $6.71 billion in 2022, equivalent to roughly 1.66% of the Philippines’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This flow of income sustains millions of Filipino families and contributes directly to the country’s macroeconomic stability, making maritime labor one of the nation’s most strategic economic sectors.
This partnership, however, has not been without challenges. In March 2023, the Philippines narrowly averted a crisis when the EU decided to continue recognizing the certificates of Filipino seafarers after Manila demonstrated “serious efforts” to comply with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). The decision followed years of EU warnings over systemic deficiencies in the Philippine maritime education and training system. The resolution of this issue shows the Philippine government’s commitment to international standards and the EU’s recognition of the country’s vital role in sustaining the global shipping labor supply chain.
Building on this success, both sides are now expanding cooperation through targeted programs such as the SCOPE (Seafarers Technical Assistance) Project, a European Commission–funded initiative with an allocation of €4 million dedicated to improving the Philippines’ maritime education, safety protocols, and certification processes. This project enhances the quality of maritime training institutions and strengthens the regulatory framework governing seafarer certification, ensuring continued compliance with STCW and alignment with International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards. The initiative also fosters the sharing of real-time maritime threat intelligence to safeguard seafarers navigating high-risk waters, reflecting growing security concerns in piracy-prone or geopolitically tense areas.
The EU and the Philippines have also jointly reiterated their commitment to human security, emphasizing that the welfare of seafarers is inseparable from broader maritime stability. In statements echoing the IMO and United Nations Security Council, both sides affirmed that maritime safety is a collective responsibility, extending beyond technical training to include mental health, fair labor practices, and equitable access to global employment opportunities.
Ultimately, this strand of cooperation represents a vital synthesis of economic partnership, human development, and strategic resilience. Filipino seafarers do not merely crew the world’s vessels, they carry the flag of the nation across the oceans, embodying the Philippines’ enduring maritime identity. Through EU collaboration, their protection and empowerment are not just matters of compliance, but of shared global responsibility.
https://indopacificreport.com/philippines-launches-massive-anti-invasion-drills-northern-luzon-4409/
Environmental Protection and Marine Resource Sustainability
As the Philippines and the European Union (EU) deepen their maritime partnership, the scope of cooperation has broadened to include non-traditional security threats, most notably, environmental degradation and the sustainable management of marine resources. Both sides recognize that securing the seas is not solely a matter of territorial defense or law enforcement, but also one of preserving the ecological foundation upon which coastal economies and communities depend. The dialogue reaffirmed the shared commitment to a “Blue Economy” approach, one that balances maritime security, economic growth, and environmental stewardship.
A key highlight of the discussions was the mutual support for the forthcoming entry into force of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement), adopted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This landmark treaty seeks to regulate the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdictions, essentially, the high seas. Both Manila and Brussels pledged to work together toward universal ratification and effective implementation of the agreement. For the Philippines, this cooperation reinforces its advocacy for sustainable ocean governance, while for the EU, it aligns with its Green Deal and Indo-Pacific Strategy goals of promoting responsible resource management and climate resilience.
The partners also voiced serious concern over ongoing environmental damage in disputed maritime areas, particularly those caused by dredging, illegal reclamation, and destructive fishing practices that “damage the seabed and marine environment.” These activities, they noted, have direct humanitarian and economic consequences, disrupting the livelihoods of coastal and fishing communities and undermining the Philippines’ food security. The dialogue therefore showed that environmental protection is inseparable from sovereignty and human security, particularly for an archipelagic state whose population and economy are deeply tied to the sea.
These challenges, both sides committed to exploring expanded cooperation in maritime environmental protection, focusing on combating marine pollution, promoting sustainable maritime transport and connectivity, and enhancing climate adaptation measures in vulnerable coastal areas. This may include joint research programs, technology sharing for clean shipping and green ports, and the use of satellite monitoring for marine ecosystem management.
Ultimately, the Philippines–EU collaboration on environmental sustainability reflects a shared understanding that the future of maritime stability rests not only on deterrence and diplomacy but also on preservation and stewardship. The security of the sea is bound to its health and in this recognition, the two partners are charting a course toward a maritime future that is not only secure, but sustainable.
https://indopacificreport.com/philippine-marines-brahmos-missiles-counter-china-aggression/
Future Trajectories and Next Steps
The 2025 Brussels dialogue between the Philippines and the European Union (EU) has laid the groundwork for a deeper and more operational maritime partnership, one that is strategic, multidimensional, and future-oriented. Both parties agreed that the next phase of cooperation must build upon existing achievements while expanding into new domains that address the full spectrum of maritime challenges facing the Indo-Pacific.
At the heart of this future collaboration are three priority areas for joint development. The first is the enhancement of Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), the foundation of any credible maritime security framework. Through the integration of satellite-based monitoring, data fusion systems, and real-time information sharing, both the EU and the Philippines aim to establish a more transparent maritime picture across the South China Sea and the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This capability is expected to strengthen law enforcement, improve early warning systems, and deter illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and other illicit maritime activities.
The second pillar focuses on Coast Guard-to-Coast Guard cooperation, a vital track that bridges civilian maritime safety and national defense. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), with its expanding fleet and jurisdictional authority, will continue to collaborate closely with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and related EU bodies to enhance operational training, joint patrol coordination, and capacity-building for maritime safety and environmental response. This reflects a shared belief that sustainable security begins not just with navies, but with strong, civilian-led maritime institutions that protect both people and ecosystems.
The third area involves addressing non-traditional security challenges, such as climate change, illegal fishing, piracy, and cyber threats to maritime infrastructure. By aligning the Philippines’ Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC) with the EU’s Maritime Security Strategy (EUMSS), both sides aim to develop holistic solutions that link environmental protection, economic resilience, and regional stability. This comprehensive approach reinforces the view that the Indo-Pacific’s security is no longer confined to borders, but extends across interconnected domains, ecological, digital, and humanitarian.
As the dialogue concluded, both delegations reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting a “free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific”, echoing a vision rooted in international law and cooperative security. The fourth Subcommittee on Maritime Cooperation has already been scheduled to convene in Manila in 2026, a symbolic move that shows the Philippines’ growing role as a regional hub for maritime diplomacy.
Looking ahead, the Philippines–EU partnership is set to evolve from policy alignment to tangible, on-the-water collaboration, from shared principles to shared presence. In a region where maritime law and sovereignty are increasingly tested, this cooperation stands as a model for how nations, through sustained engagement and mutual respect, can turn the world’s most contested waters into zones of peace, prosperity, and partnership.
