Over the past year, the ability and importance to protect undersea internet cables has increased significantly following heightened threats of sabotage from hostile nation-states – in particular, the damage done in December 2024 to the Estlink-2 power cable connecting Finland and Estonia – a consortium of technology firms and operators has called on the European Union (EU), UK and NATO to strengthen their efforts to safeguard Europe’s cross-border networks.
In an open letter – penned by GlobalConnect, Alcatel, Submarine Networks, NKT, Orange, Proximus, Telecom Italia Sparkle, TEF, Vodafone and Telenor – the companies said this was a crucial time for Europe’s security and resilience and that subsea cables play a vital role in Europe’s connectivity, competitiveness, defence readiness and economic stability.
They added that with the rise in hybrid threats, including incidents affecting subsea cables in the Baltic and North Sea, the importance of enhanced, coordinated action to safeguard Europe’s cross-border networks was emphasised.
The signatories of the letter stressed that the EU Action Plan on Cable Security provides a clear approach to further increase the resilience and security of subsea cables. The firms affirmed that they were strongly committed to contributing to this dialogue with the European Commission, the UK and the NATO and that globally to deliver on the Action Plan, and that it was crucial to engage industry stakeholders and establish a clear roadmap for implementation.
They said: “We commend your efforts to strengthen collective defence and protect critical infrastructure. We recommend the EU/EEA and UK authorities as well as NATO renew their collaboration to address this situation effectively, together with the industry stakeholders from the EU and from the UK.
“We welcome in particular the reference made to the instrumental aspect of the Connected Europe Facility (CEF), and the willingness of the European Commission to launch a dedicated dialogue with industry notably on the definition of the list of CPEIs, and the need for the deployment of surveillance and protection technologies for submarine cable infrastructure. Instruments of the UK authorities and of NATO could strengthen the momentum if coordinated effectively.”
Fron a technological basis, the firms noted that investment in advanced technologies to detect and mitigate damage to subsea cables was critical. They said such efforts should be supported by funding instruments such as the CEF, or the European Defence Fund and that it was of “utmost importance” to confirm and increase the budget allocated to digital.
They added that in parallel, the development of additional routes, both terrestrial and subsea, will enhance redundancy and reduce vulnerability to single points of failure and that uch aspects of resilience should be enhanced in the objectives of the CEF.
Going forward, the firms said the challenge now is to ensure a high level of security and resilience across Europe building on existing frameworks such as the NIS2 Directive outlining new rules on cyber security of network and information systems and promoting best practices.
They concluded: “The entire subsea cable ecosystem must be regarded as critical infrastructure. It is essential to collectively ensure the appropriate level of security screening, protection and investments into resilience.
“The repercussions of damage to subsea cables extend far beyond Europe, potentially affecting global internet and power infrastructure, international communications, financial transactions and critical services worldwide …Harmonised approaches must be developed for the subsea cables ecosystem, aiming to align security objectives with operational feasibility as well as a viable business model and based on proportionate and risk-based best practices, developed in close consultation with industry.
“By partnering with industry, Europe can leverage advanced technologies and expertise to improve situational awareness, enable rapid response and strengthen repair capabilities. Simplifying the permitting process and governance structures will further expedite these necessary security measures. Subsea cable security must be a cornerstone of broader infrastructure protection efforts. By acting now, we can safeguard the networks that underpin our shared future.”
