EU Action Plan on Cable Security

Key actions on prevention

The Commission, together with Member States and ENISA, through the Expert Group created to deliver on the Recommendation on Secure and Resilient Submarine Cable Infrastructures, will complete by Q4 2025:

▪ a Mapping of existing and planned submarine cable infrastructures;

▪ a Coordinated Risk Assessment (risks, vulnerabilities and dependencies) on submarine cables, taking into account spare part security of supply, and stress testing methodology;

▪ a Cable Security Toolbox of mitigating measures;

▪ a priority list of Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEIs).

The Commission will, by end of 2025, propose a Delegated Act to amend the Annex part V of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Regulation to prioritise the CPEIs as CEF Projects of Common Interest. This would be a first step towards an EU Investment Framework for submarine Cable projects.

The Commission will:

▪ review the security of energy supply framework with special attention to critical energy infrastructure.

▪ facilitate investments and enhance the security of critical electricity cables through the European Grids Package

support the development and deployment on a voluntary basis, of an Integrated Surveillance Mechanism for Submarine cables per sea basin designed to link and fuse data from relevant sources and set-up accurate & real time sea basin situational picture.

work towards the rapid establishment of a dedicated regional hub in the Baltic Sea region as a test bed of the integrated surveillance approach.

explore the concept of a network of undersea sensors to be deployed to secure submarine cables.

launch a dedicated surveillance drones programme (air, surface and underwater) to boost the development and deployment of such capacities.

prepare a report to promote the use of new technological solutions for detection of cable incidents.

support the development of public private partnership with cable operators in view of promoting increased voluntary reporting of cable incidents.

The Commission, together with Member States will:

enhance the effectiveness of EU’s crisis response in all its dimensions by increasing synergies with existing frameworks and assessing with Member States the need for a more tailormade approach.

pooling budget from Union funding programmes, including the possibility for voluntary transfers by Member States from cohesion funds into CEF, to finance an increase in EU cable vessels capacities, as well as modular repair equipment.

propose in the medium term – depending on the needs – to build an EU Cable multipurpose Vessels Reserve ready to use, possibly through an Implementing Act under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (including rescEU). This could be complemented by regional framework agreements to secure the immediate availability of appropriate vessels with specialised crews.

design a joint approach to ensure the security of supply of cable spare parts through e.g. targeted stockpiles.

The Commission and the High Representative will:

enhance operational cooperation with NATO on the resilience and protection of cable and other critical submarine infrastructures.

The Commission and the High Representative, together with Member States will:

deploy a proactive cable diplomacy to reach out to strategic partners, including in multilateral fora, with a view to cooperate on issues related to cable security.

enhance the capacities of the EU to react and limit the impact of the shadow fleet.

enhance the capacity to hold malicious actors accountable, notably by making best use of the existing sanctions regimes and coordinated attribution.

step-up the strategic communication approach on cable security to combat the hybrid campaign abusing plausible deniability.

launch a reflection at international level on how to make full use of the International Law of the Sea Framework to enhance the security of submarine cables

reinforce dialogue and cooperation with NATO on cable security.