Brussels hosted the third GCC–EU Regional Security Forum on Monday, July 13, 2026. The forum forms part of the practical implementation of the strategic partnership announced by the two sides in May 2022. It also gives effect to the outcomes of the first GCC–EU Summit held in 2024 and represents an institutional continuation of the previous forums in Riyadh and Luxembourg, reflecting both blocs' efforts to build a more structured and effective security and political partnership.
The forum's third edition was held amid particularly sensitive regional circumstances, with security and political challenges intensifying and renewed concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz and their implications for oil flows and price stability in global markets. Gulf security is no longer merely a regional issue. It now has direct implications for global stability, particularly for Europe's security and interests, given the continent's reliance on stable energy supplies and secure international shipping and trade routes. Against this backdrop, three issues emerged as the forum's central themes, and they are likely to shape the next phase of GCC–EU partnership.
The first is that the security and stability of the Gulf have become fundamental pillars of both the global economy and European security. The relationship between the two sides has long moved beyond the traditional producer–consumer or exporter–market equation. The security of maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, the protection of critical civilian and strategic infrastructure, and the uninterrupted flow of trade now matter as much to Europe's economy as they do to the Gulf states.
When either strait is disrupted, the consequences extend far beyond the region. Around 20 percent of global oil supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz, while nearly 12 percent of global seaborne trade passes through Bab el-Mandeb. Disruption in either waterway quickly reverberates through energy markets, supply chains, and the global economy.
In his address to the forum, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi noted that Europe is facing its second energy shock in four years and that what began as a regional escalation has since affected the economies of the Gulf, Europe, and the wider world. This reality confirms that Gulf stability is no longer simply a regional interest but a shared responsibility that requires European partners to play a more active role in supporting regional security and protecting energy flows and international trade.
Rapid regional developments also call for moving beyond coordination and consultation toward broader practical cooperation, translating political consensus into joint action to address shared challenges, particularly in information sharing, maritime security, cybersecurity, and the protection of critical infrastructure. Such cooperation would strengthen both sides' ability to respond to cross-border threats.
Today's challenges no longer allow for isolated national responses. They require collective action that is more organized and sustainable. The challenge posed by Iran stands at the forefront of these issues, underscoring the importance of such cooperation. The GCC states remain firmly committed to peace, dialogue, diplomacy, and good-neighborly relations as the primary means of resolving disputes. At the same time, they stress that this approach can succeed only if Iran genuinely respects state sovereignty and international law, refrains from interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, and guarantees freedom of navigation. This gives Europe an important role in supporting de-escalation and strengthening regional security and stability.
The benefits of this cooperation extend beyond the current crisis. The forum provides an opportunity to build on the progress achieved in GCC–EU partnership and advance it toward a more integrated framework better equipped to address future challenges.
The Secretary-General outlined six priorities: political and diplomatic coordination, regional security, trade corridors and alternative routes, energy, lessons learned from the crisis, and people-to-people ties and easier movement. Together, they reflect a broader understanding of security that encompasses the protection of economies and societies alongside the protection of borders.
This broader concept of security means keeping ports operating, ensuring that energy and communications networks remain uninterrupted, maintaining alternative trade routes, and developing a shared capacity to withstand shocks. It also means expanding cooperation in renewable energy, technology, artificial intelligence, and food security, since building shared interests remains one of the most effective safeguards against future crises.
This vision could be translated into a permanent early-warning mechanism, joint exercises to protect maritime navigation and critical infrastructure, and contingency plans to ensure supply chain continuity, making cooperation institutional rather than dependent on the temporary responses each crisis demands.
The upcoming second GCC–EU Summit, scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia in 2026, will provide additional momentum and an opportunity to build on the progress achieved since the first summit while advancing the partnership toward deeper and more effective cooperation. It is hoped that the summit will produce practical initiatives and clear mechanisms for implementation and follow-up, translating agreed principles into sustainable cooperation that serves both sides' shared interests.
Finally, I believe that the continued dialogue and institutional coordination between the two sides demonstrate just how closely the security of the Gulf and Europe has become intertwined. Their shared interests in energy, maritime security, and trade now transcend geographical distance, making the GCC–EU partnership an important framework for strengthening security and stability and addressing common challenges.
