EU Revives €25 Billion IMEC Push and 1,208-Km Power Link After Iran War
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 18
EU Revives €25 Billion IMEC Push and 1,208-Km Power Link After Iran War
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 18
Summary
EU leaders are weighing the India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor and the 1,208-kilometer Great Seas Interconnector to reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz after the Iran war jolted fuel markets.
€25 billion is what Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc paid extra for oil and gas in the war’s first 54 days, sharpening the case for new pipelines, transmission cables and Gulf-linked infrastructure.
IMEC still faces major political hurdles because it would run through Israel and depends heavily on Saudi participation, while Riyadh has tied normalization with Israel to a pathway to Palestinian statehood.
The Great Seas Interconnector remains stalled by financing red tape, but backers say it could connect continental Europe, Cyprus and eventually Israel, easing energy isolation and supporting greener power flows.
Near term, analysts see oil and gas pipelines and repairs to Gulf facilities hit during the war as the most practical steps, with future projects expected to fit EU green rules through dual-use gas and hydrogen capacity.
With costs soaring and Turkey opposing, can the EU's flagship Great Seas Interconnector avoid becoming a multi-billion euro failure?
As Gulf states also embrace China's Belt and Road, can Europe's IMEC corridor win the race for strategic and trade dominance?
Are 'dual-use' hydrogen pipelines a real path to green energy, or just a new life for Europe's fossil fuel addiction?
IMEC and the Great Sea Interconnector: Europe’s Strategic Response to Energy and Trade Disruptions in 2026
Overview
Recent geopolitical upheavals, especially the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have forced the European Union to urgently shift its strategic focus. These events have deeply affected regional stability and energy security, exposing the vulnerability of existing supply chains and highlighting the need for diversification. As a result, Europe has experienced significant disruptions in energy supplies, such as a sharp drop in LNG imports. This crisis has driven the EU to reassess its trade and energy dependencies, accelerate its clean energy transition, and pursue new routes like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor to strengthen energy security and resilience.