The 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea remains a legally binding and relevant ruling that established that maritime claims must be judged against international law, not power, EU Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Santoro wrote in an op-ed published on 16 July 2026 in the Philippine Star. The ruling, delivered on 12 July 2016 by a tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), did not resolve all disputes but provided a permanent legal reference point that cannot be erased by coercion, Santoro argued.
Santoro stressed that the South China Sea is vital for global trade, with trillions of dollars in goods — including a significant share of EU trade — passing through its waters annually. He reiterated the EU's consistent position that UNCLOS is the constitution of the oceans and that the 2016 Award is legally binding on the parties to the proceedings. The EU opposes any dangerous or coercive actions in the region and calls for peaceful dispute resolution in accordance with international law.
The op-ed highlighted the growing EU-Philippines security partnership, noting the launch of the EU-Philippines Security and Defense Dialogue in 2025 during a visit by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas to Manila. The first meeting in Brussels in November 2025 covered maritime security, cyber threats, and foreign information manipulation. A second meeting is scheduled for October 2026 in Manila. Kallas is set to visit the Philippines again from 22 to 24 July 2026 for the ASEAN Regional Forum under the Philippines' chairship.
At the operational level, Santoro pointed to EU initiatives such as CRIMARIO and the IORIS platform, which have improved real-time information-sharing and inter-agency coordination for the Philippines' civilian and maritime law enforcement agencies on illegal fishing, smuggling, piracy, marine pollution, and search-and-rescue operations. Through the ESIWA+ programme, the EU supports practical cooperation in maritime security, cyber resilience, and crisis management.
The ambassador concluded that international law does not enforce itself and requires states to proactively defend it and build coalitions. The 2016 ruling drew a legal line that pressure cannot erase, and the task now is to ensure that line continues to guide diplomacy and international support.