EU funds first regional hubs to protect undersea cables
A €40 million initiative aims to expand Europe’s capacity to repair damaged undersea communication infrastructure.
The European Commission has announced funding for the first two Regional Cable Hubs in the Baltic and Mediterranean seas as part of a broader effort to strengthen the protection of Europe’s critical undersea infrastructure. The initiative aims to improve coordination in monitoring and responding to risks affecting submarine communication and energy cables.
Alongside the €5.8 million allocated to establish the hubs, the Commission has launched a €40 million funding call to expand Europe’s capacity to repair damaged submarine cables. The measures form part of the EU Action Plan on Cable Security, which aims to improve resilience against both physical and cyber threats affecting critical data and energy infrastructure.
The programme is intended to enhance the EU’s ability to detect incidents earlier and coordinate rapid responses across member states. Officials say the initiative will also strengthen cross-border cooperation among countries facing shared security challenges in strategically important maritime regions.
Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen said the project reflects Europe’s commitment to improving security and sovereignty by investing in stronger infrastructure resilience. The new hubs are expected to act as coordination centres for faster incident response, improved preparedness and enhanced situational awareness in the face of emerging threats.
Why does it matter?
Submarine cables are a critical component of modern digital and energy infrastructure, carrying the vast majority of international internet traffic while also supporting financial transactions, cloud services and cross-border energy connectivity. Disruptions to these networks can have immediate economic, security and operational consequences that extend far beyond the affected region.
The initiative also reflects a broader shift in European security policy. As concerns grow over geopolitical tensions, hybrid threats and infrastructure sabotage, the EU is increasingly treating undersea cables as strategic assets that require coordinated protection, monitoring and rapid repair capabilities. Strengthening resilience in these networks is becoming an important element of Europe’s broader agenda on digital sovereignty, critical infrastructure security and collective resilience.
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