The European Commission kicked off a new phase of initiatives on February 5, deploying 347 million euros through the Cable Security Toolbox and the Connecting Europe Facility to strengthen response capabilities for underwater cable protection and repair.

A core challenge remains securing rapid repair capacity, including the decision on whether military escort and state guarantees are needed to protect civilian repair vessels and speed up crisis repairs.

In Italy, key players and assets include Fincantieri, Sparkle, Prysmian, and naval expertise, with maintenance capacity concentrated in the region and vessels like Elettra and Antonio Meucci (operated by Orange) based in Catania.

Italy has established the ASAS Agency for the Safety of Underwater Activities under Law No. 9/2026 to centralize regulation, harmonize public-private collaboration, and set technical standards for dual-use underwater infrastructure in the Mediterranean.

The article underscores the critical role of undersea cables for global internet and electricity flows and the EU’s concern over sovereignty in repairs amid potential damage or sabotage.

Brussels is funding the first Regional Security Hubs with 5.8 million euros to enable real-time information sharing and coordinated responses, with a Baltic Sea hub led by Finland and a Mediterranean hub led by Italy and partner states.

Public guarantees and funding are being pursued to enable rapid repair modules, with HaDEA offering up to 40 million euros to fund modules that can be installed within 72 hours, supplementing the 347 million from the CEF program.

The proposed model envisions a civilian-led repair operation with military protection, potential NATO involvement, and legal frameworks to overcome insurers’ reluctance to operate in high-risk zones while ensuring timely cable restoration.