Over the past decade, connectivity has taken a geopolitical turn forcing countries to position themselves more strategically in a fractured world order. In this new reality the European Union (EU) is seeking to become more geopolitical and in 2021 it launched the Global Gateway, its own connectivity strategy. The EU and Southeast Asia (ASEAN) are both seeking to improve their agency and influence, a shared interest that has pulled them closer. Notwithstanding enhanced alignment in economic interests however, political sensitivities persist, visible in their different foreign and security policy positions, reflecting a persistent misalignment. While its members have struggled to maintain unity, ASEAN exudes a strategic value for the EU that it cannot ignore. They want options to boost connectivity and the EU is among their preferred partners.
The US administration’s “reciprocal tariffs” initiated by President Donald Trump since April 2025 mark a shift following decades of multilateral trade liberalization. Likely to reshape ASEAN’s trade relations, the tariffs are forcing the region to rethink opportunities for growth through increased inter-ASEAN trade and engagement with external partners, namely the EU. While the EU has gravitas in the region, ASEAN countries demand a partner that understands them and respects their decisions, rather than questions them; a partner that delivers, a description the EU has yet to earn. In local perceptions, the Global Gateway is poorly understood and has so far failed to improve the EU’s standing and visibility. Conversations with local stakeholders suggest that in their eyes, the EU continues to overpromise and underdeliver.
With a closer look at Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, this brief urges the EU to internalize its geopolitical discourse, and be strategic in practice, not merely in narrative. When engaging with ASEAN, the EU must “stop seeing China everywhere” and engage the region on its own terms, with offers that others cannot make. The EU should not try to compete, but complement, focus on its own strengths and amplify them in partnership with local stakeholders. The EU must start treating ASEAN as an actor, not a factor in its geopolitical positioning. It must get strategic and inclusive, invest in understanding local realities, boost its presence and visibility on the ground, and adopt clear and consistent communication. For the Global Gateway to be effective, it requires a robust and resilient governance model that communicates well, manages internal fragmentation and ensures transparency.