An Actor or a Factor: What Role for the EU in Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific?

Maritime security in the Indo-Pacific has become a key strategic interest for the European Union (EU). The 2021 Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific (EUSIP) reaffirms Brussels’ commitment and determination to act as a ‘global maritime security provider’ in the region, underscoring its ongoing contribution to safeguarding the safety and freedom of navigation. Yet, as of 2025, the EU’s efforts in this domain continue to struggle for momentum. The return of geopolitics and great-power competition has sidelined the Union’s traditional approach to maritime security –one centred on multilateralism and non-traditional security challenges. At the same time, the increased presence of European navies, namely those of France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy, has attracted greater international attention and raised the EU’s security profile in the region. The recent adjustment of Brussels’ narrative towards becoming a ‘smart security enabler,’ encouraging Member States to use their advanced capabilities to build capacities and enhance interoperability with regional partners, reflects this new strategic reality. What does this shift reveal about the EU’s actual role in maritime security in the Indo-Pacific? Can Brussels be an autonomous actor capable of shaping regional affairs in its own right? Or is it a mere enabling factor enhancing national interests and policies? This paper takes stock of the various maritime security initiatives undertaken by the EU and its national capitals since the publication of the EUSIP, testing the effectiveness of the ‘Team Europe” approach at sea. It argues that the intergovernmental and the national levels of engagement can be mutually reinforcing, provided they are supported by effective institutional coordination and coherent political messaging.