The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung’s EU Office in Brussels has released a new report (Issue 3/2025), Cable Diplomacy: Securing Influence, Data and Global Rules, authored by Jonas Franken, doctoral candidate and research associate at PEASEC.
More than 600 subsea data cables connect coastal regions worldwide. They are responsible for 99% of intercontinental data traffic, yet face numerous vulnerabilities, including hybrid and malicious activity. In consideration of their importance, the European Union introduced an EU Action Plan on Cable Security, concerned with establishing “advanced cable diplomacy”.
This report addresses how the EU can build effective cable diplomacy partnerships while also accounting for technological sensitivities, dual-use aspects, and geopolitical considerations. It argues that despite growing concerns about espionage and security, international cooperation is smart in areas such as repair coordination, incident reporting, regulatory alignment, and infrastructure development.
Furthermore, the report proposes three main geographical focus areas for the EU: the Black Sea, underserved African coastal states, and Indo-Pacific alliances, with the main goal of enhancing redundancy and connectivity, thereby building shared resilience. This gives a comprehensive direction for future EU cable diplomacy and a forward-looking EU framework.
Read the full report here: Heinrich Böll Stiftung Publication Page
Direct PDF download: Heinrich Böll Stiftung PDF
See also:
- Jonas Franken, Thomas Reinhold, Timon Dörnfeld, Christian Reuter (2025) Hidden structures of a global infrastructure: Expansion factors of the subsea data cable network, Technological Forecasting and Social Change ;215:124068. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2025.124068 [Download PDF]
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Jonas Franken, Christian Reuter (2024) The Subsea Data Cable Security Map – Fusing Public Information for Enhanced Critical Maritime Infrastructure Security (2024), MARESEC 2024, 10.5281/zenodo.14216269
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Jonas Franken, Franziska Schneider, Christian Reuter (2023) The Internet’s Plumbing Consists of Garden Hoses: A Critical Analysis of the Advantages and Pitfalls of Metaphors Use for Critical Maritime Infrastructures, Dreizack 23 Kiel. [Download PDF]
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Jonas Franken, Thomas Reinhold, Lilian Reichert, Christian Reuter (2022) The Digital Divide in State Vulnerability to Submarine Communications Cable Failure International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection (IJCIP) ;38(100522):1–15. doi:10.1016/j.ijcip.2022.100522[Download PDF]
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Christian Bueger, Tobias Liebetrau, Jonas Franken (2022) Security threats to undersea communications cables and infrastructure – consequences for the EU Brussels: European Parliament. [Download PDF]