The European Commission has allocated nearly a billion euros to enhance surveillance of undersea cables and establish an emergency repair fleet. This move aims to prevent and detect sabotage targeting power cables, telecom links, and gas pipelines in the region. According to Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s executive vice president for security, the goal is to deter, repair, and respond to any threat to critical infrastructure.
The relocation of funds comes after a series of incidents in recent months where undersea cables were damaged, possibly on purpose. The incidents have raised concerns among European governments about potential sabotage. In response, NATO member countries are deploying military assets, including frigates and drones, to protect critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
In addition to surveillance, the Commission plans to develop a new data-sharing mechanism and drone program to detect and respond to cable damage. The plan also aims to ensure supplies of spare parts for broken cables and create an emergency reserve fleet to deploy or repair electric or optical submarine cables.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-will-propose-establishing-fleet-vessels-emergency-undersea-cable-repairs-2025-02-21