The European Commission has made efforts over the past five years to strengthen the role of the European Union globally, from rallying support for Ukraine, in the face of Russia’s aggression, to advancing in international cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic. These past years have shown how tremendous challenges can be overcome when working with partners.

Standing with Ukraine, as long as it takes

As Russia’s aggression brought war to Europe, we have stood with Ukraine and provided robust diplomatic, economic, financial, humanitarian and military support worth over €118 billion so far. The EU has imposed wide-ranging sanctions against Russia and its allies, coordinating specific measures with partners around the world, to make sure the sanctions have more impact.

We have given new impetus to our enlargement policy, bringing Ukraine, Moldova, and our Western Balkan partners closer to the EU.

To support our partners in the Western Balkans and help them advance more rapidly on their EU path, we launched the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. This new plan will promote the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU Single Market, as well as economic integration between the Western Balkans countries themselves. It is also increasing financial assistance for structural reforms with a new €6 billion facility.

In 2021 we launched Global Gateway, our investment strategy for the world. With this strategy, we aim to mobilise €300 billion in sustainable investments around the globe, half of which are in Africa. Global Gateway is our offer for high quality, sustainable projects that deliver lasting benefits for our partners. It will support smart, clean, and secure connections and infrastructure, as well as health, education, and research systems across the world.

Global Gateway is already supporting over 200 flagship projects. These investments take into account our partners’ as well as the EU’s interests from a geopolitical perspective.  For instance, we are supporting 11 transport corridors in Africa, including the Lobito corridor, which will link Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and the 7 100km long MEDUSA digital submarine cable system linking the EU with North African countries. Additionally, €3.2 billion are being devoted to renewable energy projects that will benefit 100 million Africans by 2030. 

The European Union is strongly involved in the global fight against climate change, working with partners to turn it into an opportunity for growth and competitiveness. We are trailblazers with our target to become climate-neutral by 2050, an objective that other countries have adopted since as well. We launched the Global Methane Pledge and the Global Pledge on Renewables and Energy Efficiency, to which 155 and 118 countries have signed up so far.

We have also concluded Green Alliances and partnerships to work together with close partners such as Canada, Japan, Morocco, Norway, and the Republic of Korea. Along with the G7, we launched Just Energy Transition Partnerships with South Africa, Senegal, Indonesia, and Vietnam, to support their transition to clean energy alternatives.

We have remained at the forefront of saving lives and getting aid to people caught up in crises worldwide. In the last years, we have developed some major initiatives, including

• establishing rescEU medical and chemical, radio nuclear and biological equipment stockpiles
• launching EU Humanitarian Air Bridge flights to channel aid to the most difficult-to-reach areas
• developing the rescEU forest firefighting air fleet to better respond to forest fire emergencies across Europe

Over the past five years, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated around 400 times and each time the calls for support were answered. This shows the power of EU solidarity anywhere help is needed.

Many other bilateral or regional partnerships were revived over the past years. After years of negotiations, a new partnership agreement between the EU and its Member States, and the members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (the Samoa Agreement) was signed in November 2023.

The EU-India Trade and Technology Council was launched to help increase bilateral trade and to cooperate on trusted technology. We have also concluded digital partnerships with Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Canada.

In Central Asia, we negotiated new-generation Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreements with individual countries, and we boosted cooperation on the digital, transport and water/energy nexus.

With the creation of the EU’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime in December 2020, the EU has signalled its determination to stand up for human rights worldwide and to act against those responsible for serious human rights violations. Since its adoption, the EU has listed 67 individuals and 20 entities for serious human rights violations or abuses.

Human rights are a fundamental part of our discussions with third countries. The EU has launched new frameworks for dialogue focused on human rights with Saudi Arabia and Oman, and we resumed dialogues with India, Israel and China.

At a time when war has returned to Europe, the Commission has taken bold steps towards a European Defence Union – to ensure that the EU is prepared for all scenarios and threats – from traditional to hybrid, be it on land, at sea, in the air, in outer space or cyberspace.

We are mobilising Europe's defence industry, to manufacture more for our security and to be able to support Ukraine.

At the same time, we have expanded our cooperation with NATO on hybrid, and cyber threats, fighting terrorism and the security implications of climate change. We also launched the EU-NATO Task Force on resilience of critical infrastructure to better prevent disruptions to essential services to citizens and support our economies.