Insights

In early February 2026, the European Commission published a Report by the Expert Group on Security and Resilience of EU Submarine Cable Infrastructures: Submarine Cable Security Toolbox and Cable Projects of European Interest (the February 2026 Expert Group Report).

Meanwhile, the European Commission announced the introduction of a new Cable Security Toolbox of risk mitigating measures and a list of Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEIs). It also amended the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) - Digital Work Programme to allocate €347 million to strategic submarine cable projects, including a €20 million call to enhance Europe's repair capacities.In this Report, the Expert Group proposed six key Strategic Measures designed to improve administrative and political resilience.

Background

Amid rising geopolitical tensions, submarine cables connecting Europe have suffered multiple incidents in recent years (although the nature of these events, whether accidental or intentional, is not always easy to determine). These incidents have raised awareness across Europe and beyond regarding the criticality and vulnerability of submarine cables carrying data, gas or electricity.

To address these concerns, the European Commission (‘the Commission’) and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (‘the High Representative’) adopted the EU Action Plan on Cable Security on 21 February 2025 (the ‘Cable Action Plan’). This initiative outlines a series of coordinated actions to counter threats and enhance the resilience of telecoms and power submarine cable infrastructures, across all stages of the resilience cycle: prevention, detection, response and recovery, and deterrence.

The Cable Action Plan builds on previous initiatives, particularly the Commission Recommendation (EU) 2024/779 on Secure and Resilient Submarine Cable Infrastructures, which focuses specifically on data cables. This Recommendation and the Cable Action Plan notably follow the 2022 Council Recommendation on a Union-wide coordinated approach to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure (the ‘Critical Infrastructure Council Recommendation’), as well as the Directive on a high common level of cybersecurity across the Union (the ‘NIS 2 Directive’) and the Directive on the resilience of critical entities (the ‘CER Directive’). 

To support the implementation of Recommendation (EU) 2024/779, the Commission set up the Submarine Cable Infrastructures Expert Group (‘the Expert Group’), comprising representatives from Member States’ authorities and the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), to offer guidance particularly on the following matters that fall within the scope of the Recommendation:

1. mapping the existing and planned submarine cable infrastructures at EU-level, based on national mapping exercises
2. conducting a consolidated Union-wide assessment of risks, including threats, vulnerabilities and dependencies of submarine cable infrastructures
3. putting forward a Cable Security Toolbox of mitigating measures
4. proposing a draft list of strategic Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEIs) that meet the criteria listed in Recommendation (EU) 2024/779
5. advising on maintenance and repair capacity for submarine cables.

In October 2025, the Expert Group published a report, the Expert Group’s Report on ‘Security and Resilience of EU Submarine Cable Infrastructures: Mapping, Risk Assessments, Stress tests’ (the October 2025 Expert Group Report), which addresses points 1 and 2 on this list.

The latest February 2026 Expert Group Report covers point 3, 4 and 5 on this list. In the Report, the Expert Group proposes the Cable Security Toolbox, which recommends a set of mitigation measures to address the risk scenarios – based on threats, vulnerabilities and dependencies – identified in the October 2025 Expert Group report. The Expert Group also proposes a list of the proposed strategic Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEIs) in the Report.

Cable Security Toolbox

1. Core Objective and Methodology

Based on the identified threats, vulnerabilities and dependencies, seven main risk scenarios were outlined in the EU risk assessment of the Expert Group report issued in October 2025.

The primary goal of the Cable Security Toolbox is to provide a common set of recommendations to mitigate seven main risk scenarios identified by the EU, including coordinated physical sabotage, cyber intrusions at landing sites, and supply chain disruptions.

The Toolbox categorizes its recommendations into two types of measures:

• Strategic Measures: Non-technical interventions, such as regulatory changes or increased authority intervention.

• Technical and Support Measures: Technical actions primarily intended for implementation by the private sector (operators and suppliers).

2. Strategic Measures (SM)

There are six key strategic measures designed to improve administrative and political resilience:

• Redundancy (SM01): Increasing cable diversity in terms of routes and landing locations to ensure service continuity if one cable is damaged.

• Maintenance Capacity (SM02): Strengthening the EU’s ability to repair cables by funding maintenance vessel renewals and streamlining repair permits.

• Supplier Exposure (SM03): Reducing reliance on non-EU suppliers and operators to minimize risks of cyber espionage or remote sabotage via embedded backdoors.

• Manufacturing and Stocks (SM04): Promoting the establishment of manufacturing facilities (for fiber and semiconductors) and maintenance depots within the EU.

• Regulatory Frameworks (SM05): Implementing and strengthening laws like the NIS 2 Directive and CER Directive to ensure consistent protection standards across Member States.

• Co-ordination (SM06): Fostering collaboration between industry, Member States, and international bodies like NATO.
  
  

3. Technical and Support Measures (TM)

Four measures focus on the technical hardening of infrastructure:

• Hardening (TM01): Enhancing physical cable protection through increased armoring, deeper burial standards, and articulated pipes in shallow waters.

• Dry Plant Resilience (TM02): Securing land-based facilities (Network Operation Centers, beach manholes) with backup power, intrusion detection, and personnel vetting.

• Monitoring (TM03): Using advanced detection systems like Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and Science Monitoring and Reliable Telecommunications (SMART) cables for real-time fault detection.

• Workforce Development (TM04): Enhancing technical training for repair teams and exploring the standardization of universal spare parts.

In addition to the Cable Security Toolbox, the Expert Group proposes a list of strategic Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEIs) in the February 2026 Report, 13 priority areas have been identified that contribute to fulfilling strategic gaps and increase the resilience of EU submarine cable infrastructures.