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Europe’s role in the Middle East and North Africa is evolving amid geopolitical shifts, changing regional partnerships and growing
economic and technological interdependence. This issue brings together eight contributions examining how the European Union is adapting to these developments and the opportunities and challenges facing its engagement with the region. The changin landscape of global trade provides the starting point for Nir Levitan, who examines Israel’s role in the India–Middle East–Europe Economic
Corridor (IMEC) and its potential to diversify trade routes amid geopolitical competition. Looking back to the origins of the Barcelona Process, Francis Ghilès considers Europe’s changing strategic relationship with its Mediterranean neighbours. As economic relations become increasingly digital, Andrew Dahdal explores the challenges created by differing EU and Gulf approaches to data regulation and localisation. The changing Gulf security architecture is the focus of Eldad Ben Aharon,
who considers its implications for Europe’s ability to shape regional security. Turning to trade, Thierry Pairault examines EU–North African economic relations alongside China’s growing commercial engagement with Mediterranean Africa. Sieglinde Gstöhl and Jacopo Giraudotrace the EU’s evolution from a normative and stabilising force towards a more explicitly geopolitical actor in its Southern neighbourhood. The question of European influence is also central to Abdullah Hemmet Abdullah’s contribution, which considers why Europe’s substantial legal, financial and diplomatic resources have not consistently translated into regional influence, particularly in the context of Gaza. Finally, Thilo Bodensteinand Mark Furness examine the EU’s changing approach to
democracy support, highlighting the tension between promoting political reform and pragmatic engagement
with regional governments. Together, these contributions explore the changing foundations of Europe’s engagement with MENA, from trade and technology to security, diplomacy and development, and consider the challenges facing a European role in a rapidly changing region.