SEAE: întrebări și răspunsuri privind strategia UE pentru Marea Neagră, 2025

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How will the strategic approach support EU integration?

The EU will support interested partners on their path towards EU integration, notably in consolidating the rule of law, democracy, climate resilient societies and economies with gradual integration into the Single Market. The EU will also support its partners in aligning with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, including the implementation of EU restrictive measures (sanctions) and in alignment with the Common Security and Defence Policy.

By anchoring candidate countries in regional initiatives ranging from research and innovation to blue-economy partnerships, the new strategic approach contributes to their alignment with EU standards and reinforces their accession trajectory.

Will the new approach address cyber threats and Foreign Information Manipulation Interference?

Countries in the Black Sea region are targets of hybrid threats, including cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns and FIMI. This undermines public trust in democratic institutions and media, fuelling political tensions and instability in the countries.

The EU will use the EU Hybrid Toolbox and the EU Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox, among other instruments, to address these specific threats and boost the region's resilience. A network for joint response mechanisms will be established with partner countries to tackle FIMI and disinformation campaigns. It will coordinate joint actions and improve information sharing across the region.

For countering disinformation campaigns and FIMI, it will be important to establish cooperative networks involving civil society, fact-checking organisations and independent media, because they are present in the countries and understand better the context. The use of innovative technology and artificial intelligence will also become crucial tools to identify and counter FIMI and disinformation online. Finally, the EU will also promote media literacy and critical thinking, including for young people, in order to foster a culture of democratic engagement.

Are activities on demining part of the strategic approach?

A key challenge in the Black Sea is the danger posed by mined areas in the littoral States waters but also drifting mines and other unexploded ordnance (UXO). They create serious risks to maritime security, the marine environment and threaten the transport and trade corridors.

The EU programmes and projects under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), HORIZON and Interreg can be used to map and assess the state of UXO, as well as strengthen maritime security in the Black Sea through enhanced cooperation with its Member States, the Black Sea partners, like-minded countries and partner organisations.

The strategy acknowledges the objective of a mine free Black Sea region. Building on and coordinating with the existing trilateral demining initiative by Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye for the Black Sea, the EU will assess the possibilities to engage further on demining initiatives in the region in a long-term perspective.

What is the interplay between the Eastern Partnership and the new strategic approach to the Black Sea?

The Eastern Partnership remains a cornerstone of the EU's engagement with its eastern neighbours, offering a robust and mature policy framework that promotes core reforms, including those essential for the accession and association processes. With a strong emphasis on the rule of law, strengthening democratic institutions, and good governance, the Eastern Partnership supports the development of resilient democracies and fostering a culture of stability, security, and cooperation in the region.

The strategic approach to the Black Sea and the Eastern Partnership are therefore deeply interconnected under a shared objective: to foster stability, prosperity, and security in partner countries, while building a more resilient and thriving region. By leveraging the Black Sea's untapped potential, the EU aims to drive transformative change, promote sustainable development, and deliver tangible benefits to the citizens of all engaged countries.

How is cooperation with NATO and other partners reflected in the new approach?

In the current context, the EU's strategic partnership with NATO is essential for our Euro-Atlantic security. For the 23 EU Member States that are also NATO Allies, NATO is a cornerstone of their collective defence. In line with the Strategic Compass the EU is strengthening its strategic partnership with NATO.

Following Russia's war aggression against Ukraine, the EU is committed to advance further strategic partnership in the areas of crisis management, maritime security, countering hybrid threats, including cyber and foreign information manipulation, emerging and disruptive technologies, climate change, resilience, defence industry and other issues of common interest. This is pursued in line with the agreed framework of the three Joint Declarations on EU-NATO cooperation signed in 2016, 2018 and 2023 and the agreed guiding principles for the EU strategic partnership with NATO - transparency, reciprocity and inclusiveness as well as the decision-making autonomy and procedures of both organisations.

Under the EU strategic approach to the Black Sea, the EU commits to increasing capacity, cooperation and information sharing on hybrid and cyber threats across the region, and to coordinate such initiatives with relevant like-minded partner countries and organisations, including NATO.

EU-NATO cooperation on maritime security continues under the established staff-to-staff talks. They cover a broad array of topics such as respective naval operational engagement, protection of critical maritime infrastructure, challenges posed by the shadow fleet and defence capabilities in the maritime domain. At the latest meeting in April 2025, the two staffs also exchanged on maritime security in the Black Sea.