The European Union and Australia held their annual Counter-Terrorism Dialogue in Brussels on 11 June 2026, reaffirming their collective commitment and joint approach to combat terrorism and violent extremism. The meeting was co-chaired by Anna Strzaska, Special Envoy for Counter-Terrorism at the European External Action Service, and Gemma Huggins, Australia’s Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism.
The dialogue covered regional and global threats, international counter-terrorism cooperation through the multilateral system, and the increasingly complex web of terrorist actors. Discussions addressed the rising number of violent extremist acts targeting religious communities, including attacks driven by antisemitic and anti-Muslim hatred. The talks also focused on youth and online radicalisation, including nihilistic extremism.
Both sides reaffirmed their approach to countering global jihadist terrorist groups in the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. They stressed that successful cooperation between nations remains essential in preventing and countering terrorism globally, and that effective action must be in full compliance with international law, including human rights and respect for the rule of law.
The Counter-Terrorism Dialogue is a key pillar of the EU-Australia Security and Defence Partnership, which underpins close cooperation to achieve shared strategic objectives. No prior coverage of this dialogue exists in recent months.
Stakeholder impact: The dialogue reinforces operational coordination between EU and Australian counter-terrorism authorities, potentially leading to more effective information sharing and joint actions. For EU member states, the partnership may enhance their counter-terrorism capabilities through Australian expertise in online radicalisation and regional threat assessment. For civil society, the reaffirmed commitment to human rights compliance provides reassurance that security measures will respect legal safeguards. For terrorist groups and violent extremist networks, the strengthened EU-Australia cooperation represents a more coordinated counter-terrorism front, increasing operational risks for them.