The EU enjoys longstanding relations with Yemen, which date back to July 1998, when the relationship was formalised with the entry into force of a bilateral cooperation agreement focused on commercial, development and economic issues, setting the basis for a long-term commitment between the EU and Yemen. This was enhanced with the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009, after which the EU's role as a political actor became more prominent. The start of the crisis in 2015 had a strong impact on this previous cooperation, as the EU Delegation was evacuated from Sana'a. It has been operating from Amman, Jordan, since 2017.
The EU is currently focused on supporting the UN Special Envoy and the UN-led political process, including the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement. The Agreement was reached by representatives of the Yemeni parties in December 2018 and represents a first step towards the resumption of negotiations to find an inclusive political solution to the ongoing conflict. To support the UN-led political process, the EU actively engages with all parties to the conflict in order to bring relevant stakeholders together and build trust among the conflicting parties. The EU works relentlessly to increase the inclusivity of the peace process by opening it all parts of society, including civil society, women and youth, and by supporting negotiation and reconciliation from the local to the regional level. The EU is committed to the protection and realization of human rights of all Yemenis and continues to advocate for the full respect of international law, including international humanitarian law.
The latest Council Conclusions on Yemen were adopted on 18 February 2019. In the Conclusions, the EU expresses its support for the UN Security Council Resolutions 2451 and 2452 underpinning the Stockholm Agreement and for the establishment for the UN Mission to support the Al-Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA). Further, the EU endorses and supports the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) in order to ensure that commercial goods, which are of paramount importance for the survival of millions of Yemenis, continue to flow into the country.