European Commission Unveils Plan to Bolster Security of Underwater Cables Amid Sabotage Concerns
In response to recent incidents in the Baltic Sea that have raised suspicions of Russian sabotage, the European Commission has unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at strengthening the security and resilience of underwater cables, including those critical to Mediterranean connectivity. The announcement was made by Henna Virkkunen, the Commission's executive vice president for tech sovereignty, security, and democracy, during a press conference in Finland.
Virkkunen emphasized the urgent need for Europe to ensure robust protection against sabotage, stating, "We want to make sure Europe is equipped not only to prevent and detect sabotage to cables but also to actively deter, repair, and respond to any threat to critical infrastructure that is key to our economy and collective security."
This initiative comes amid ongoing investigations by Swedish and Finnish police into a suspected case of sabotage involving an undersea telecoms cable in the Baltic Sea. The Swedish coast guard has also mobilized a vessel to the region, where several seabed cables have been reported damaged in recent months.
The Commission's strategy outlines key measures to protect critical infrastructure, enhance threat detection and quickly repair damage. Kaja Kallas, high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and Commission vice president, stated, "We are taking steps to protect cables, detect and anticipate threats more quickly, and repair damage as fast as possible. We should mobilize all our strengths—military and civil capacities—to ensure surveillance and attribute attacks quicker, sanctioning those responsible for sabotage. Would-be perpetrators must also be deterred."
The importance of underwater cables cannot be overstated—they connect several EU member states, link islands to the EU mainland, and facilitate connections to the global network, carrying 99% of intercontinental internet traffic. Additionally, subsea electricity cables are instrumental in integrating member states' electricity markets, strengthening supply security, and delivering offshore renewable energy.
The European Commission plans to implement specific actions progressively, with a timeline set for 2025 and 2026, in collaboration with EU member states and the Athens-based cybersecurity agency ENISA. As tensions escalate in the Baltic, these preventative measures aim to safeguard not only the digital landscape but also the overall security of the European Union.
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