The European Union is exploring a public-private partnership to fund a fleet of ships capable of quickly repairing damaged subsea cables, according to Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s executive vice president for technological sovereignty, security and democracy, according to Bloomberg. The initiative could involve hundreds of millions of euros.
The move follows a series of recent incidents in the Baltic Sea involving damage to telecommunication and power cables. While the causes of these disruptions remain unclear, they have highlighted the vulnerability of critical subsea infrastructure.
"We are discussing now with member states what would be the amount that is needed," Virkkunen said at the Munich Security Conference. "When it comes to security we see that there’s an urgent need for action."
Subsea cables are vital for global communication and data transfer, carrying over 95% of international data traffic, according to the International Cable Protection Committee. Disruptions can impact digital services, web access, and financial transactions.
Virkkunen indicated that the ship procurement would be a public-private partnership, with contributions from the EU, member states, and telecommunications companies. Funding from the EU will be reallocated from the current budget.
The European Commission is expected to release further details in the coming weeks as part of an action plan addressing defense, internal security, and preparedness.
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