Beyond the Action Plan: Towards a Holistic Strategy for a Competitive and Secure Subsea Infrastructure in Europe

Once an invisible backbone of global connectivity, subsea cables are quickly becoming a strategic concern. As demand for internet services rises, investment in new fibre-optic infrastructure is accelerating – and with it, geopolitical attention. The seabed has emerged as a new frontier of hybrid warfare among Europe, Russia and other actors.

Ownership dynamics in the sector are also shifting. Just four US cloud providers now control 71% of global subsea fibre capacity, overtaking traditional telecom carriers and driving most new projects. Europe lags behind in new seabed infrastructure, as its carriers struggle to keep up with their counterparts across the Atlantic. Although the EU funds strategic projects, its investment is dwarfed by cloud hyperscalers.

Awareness of cable networks’ strategic value is growing. Concerns over vendors from unreliable countries in subsea and other critical infrastructure and vulnerabilities to hybrid attacks are prompting the EU and NATO to coordinate more closely. But more needs to be done, particularly in public-private cooperation: Europe’s capacity to repair damaged cables is limited, and private repair and maintenance agreements are not scaled to respond to coordinated seabed attacks. Furthermore, there are few global standards ruling the subsea industry. Few laws cover modern issues like acts of hybrid warfare, and international governing bodies remain private initiatives.

To respond, the EU must follow and go beyond the European Commission’s 2024 Action Plan on Submarine Cable Security. A comprehensive strategy should accelerate cross-border mapping and risk assessment. This includes identifying vulnerabilities and strengthening repair and resilience capabilities across jurisdictions.

This paper sets out 10 proposals to advance the EU’s Action Plan on Cable Security and strengthen Europe’s strategic position. As the seabed becomes a new arena of economic and military rivalry, Europe must act to protect its links, resilience and global edge.

Read the full discussion paper here.

 

Varg Folkman is a Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre Europe’s Political Economy Programme.

Mihai Sebastian Chihaia is a Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre’s Europe in the World Programme.

Ian Hernandez is a Junior Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre Europe’s Political Economy Programme.

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