An Assessment of the European Union’s Indo-Pacific Strategy

In April 2021, the European Union (EU) released the ‘EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific,’ a document outlining a cooperation plan with the Indo-Pacific. [1] The strategy defines the region as extending from the east coast of Africa to the Pacific Island States. This differs from the American and Australian conceptualisation of the Indo-Pacific as stretching from the west coast of the US to the western shores of India, and the Japanese, French and the Indian interpretations that see it as extending from the shores of Africa to that of the Americas. [2] Notwithstanding such interpretations, the EU’s strategy has signalled a clear intent to reorient the grouping’s geopolitical outlook and provide guidance for enhanced engagement with the Indo-Pacific. The European Commission and the EU High Representative/Vice President were requested to present a final communication for approval based on the proposed strategy, which was subsequently released on 16 September 2021 through a joint communication to the European Parliament and the European Council that outlined the rationale for a deeper engagement with the Indo-Pacific and the key principles that will guide it. [3] A broad action plan to implement the strategy was also included in the joint communication.