EU Statement – UN Security Council Arria-formula Meeting: Protecting Freedom of Navigation in an Evolving Security Environment
Mr. President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.
The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, and Bosnia and Herzegovina*, as well as Monaco align themselves with this statement.
I thank the Kingdom of Bahrain for convening this meeting, building on the High-Level Open Debate on maritime security it convened during its Presidency of this Council in April, and the briefers for their contributions.
As the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, underlined in yesterday’s State of the Union Address, disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has had direct consequences for Europe’s energy security and economy, with imported fossil fuels costing Europe an additional €90 billion since the start of the conflict. This was a stark reminder, if any were needed, that disruption to strategic maritime routes has consequences far beyond the region.
Indeed, key maritime chokepoints and straits used for international navigation are not only regional waterways. They are global lifelines. Their security and safety depend on respect for international law, as reflected in UNCLOS, on restraint by all parties, and on sustained multilateral cooperation.
The EU recalls the universal and unified character of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out. We reiterate the need to maintain the integrity of the Convention. Preserving a stable and open international maritime order based on the rule of law and international law is a shared global interest.
In this context, on the Strait of Hormuz, the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council reaffirmed together in Brussels on 13 July that freedom of navigation, including the right of passage through the Strait, is guaranteed under international law, as reflected in UNCLOS. These rights belong to the ships of all States and cannot be suspended, impeded, or made conditional by any State. Passage cannot be subject to permits, transit tolls, or general service fees, discrimination, or unlawful authorisation requirements. Introducing restrictions, conditions, discriminatory measures, or other obstacles to lawful passage through international straits would be patently illegal and set a dangerous precedent for global strategic waterways. No State should be allowed to impose selective limits on the passage of ships through such waterways. The European Council has called for the full implementation of UNSC resolution 2817 (2026) and condemned any acts that threaten navigation or prevent vessels from entering and exiting the Strait.
The EU is also seriously concerned by the dangerous escalation around Bab el-Mandeb. Houthi attacks and threats against Saudi Arabia and Saudi-linked vessels have reduced the overall number of ships transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. We recall UNSC resolution 2722 (2024), which demands that the Houthis immediately cease all attacks on merchant and commercial vessels.
Another major choke point for freedom of navigation is the Black Sea. Russia has intensified attacks against ports and commercial shipping, including drone and missile attacks against oil tankers, resulting in multiple deaths of seafarers, together with systematic strikes against inland logistics, warehouses, and grain terminals, in violation of international law, including UNCLOS. This recent escalation is severely disrupting freedom of navigation, global energy, and food supply chains. In response, since May 2022, EU Solidarity Lanes have facilitated Ukraine’s exports, including of grain and agricultural produce, and the EU, together with Ukraine and other partners, is calling for a Black Sea grain arrangement to allow safe passage for commercial vessels in order to alleviate pressures on global food security and stop this dangerous escalation risking global hunger.
The EU will continue to work within and support international and regional institutions responsible for maritime governance, safety, and security, particularly the International Maritime Organization.
As a regional organisation, the EU supports and promotes regional cooperation for maritime security, for instance through the Djibouti Code of Conduct – Jeddah Amendment, of which it is a Friend. The IMO provides the secretariat. We support increased information-sharing, early warning, and coordination, for example through the IORIS maritime communication and coordination tool of our EU CRIMARIO project.
Finally, we believe it is paramount to protect the lives of seafarers. Over the years, our EU naval operations ATALANTA and ASPIDES have provided protection to seafarers, contributed to their release from piracy and rescued them in maritime crises in the Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean. The EU is determined to continue this engagement.
Diplomacy remains essential to resolving outstanding issues, and we commend regional partners for their mediation efforts.
Thank you.
- North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.