Integrated Surveillance mechanism: Regional Cable hubs

Description

Integrated Surveillance mechanism: Regional Cable hubs Identifier: PPPA-2026-REGIONAL-SUBMARINE-ISM-CABLE-HUBS Call identifier: PPPA-2026-REGIONAL-SUBMARINE-ISM Kind: bando (topic) Status: aperto Opening date: 2026-07-14 Deadline: 2026-11-19 Deadline model: single-stage Type of action: PPPA Project Grants Budget: 2026: 3940000 EUR Expected grants: 1 Programme period: 2021 - 2027 Tags: EU Action Plan on Cable Security, Regional Cable Hubs, Submarine communication cables, data mapping, interoperability and data fusion, recommendations for possible EU-level guidance, submarine cable infrastructure, submarine-cable security, support measures Description Expected Outcome: A consolidated reference on private situational data relevant for submarine-cable security A structured description of the main categories of private situational data and actors relevant for submarine-cable security, including their sensitivity profile, typical usage, and the key legal, regulatory and commercial constraints affecting possible access by Regional Cable Hubs. Interoperability and data fusion pathways for multi-source, multi-basin use Clear conclusions on the main interoperability and data fusion challenges and feasible solutions (e.g. common data models or ontologies, interoperability layers, translation and fusion layers), including indications on which approaches are realistically applicable across multiple providers and sea basins, and how they can remain extensible to accommodate new data sources and actors over time. A proof-of-concept demonstration showing how selected private situational data can be accessed, integrated and processed within a Regional Cable Hub–type environment, together with a practical demonstration of the situational-awareness outcomes that such integration can produce. This includes evidence on the achievable levels of spatial precision, timeliness, coverage and reliability under pilot conditions, as well as identification of the constraints that limit performance. - Partnership models and recommendations for EU follow-up A concise set of partnership models through which Regional Cable Hubs could obtain or use private situational data (e.g. service-based, data-sharing, or hybrid arrangements), with associated requirements for their viability and compliance, an assessment of their expected impact and limitations on situational awareness, and recommendations for possible EU-level guidance, support measures or follow-up actions. Objective: The situational data that could contribute to improved awareness of threats to submarine cables (e.g. sensor feeds, maritime or satellite surveillance data) are subject to complex and heterogeneous governance conditions. These conditions may vary across cable systems, operators and sea basins, reflecting differing ownership structures, contractual arrangements and applicable regulatory or security frameworks. As a result, there is currently limited clarity on how such data could be accessed, combined and used in a structured manner to support cable-security objectives. The Pilot Project aims, through analytical work and targeted pilot activities in non-operational settings, to determine how private-sector situational data relevant to submarine-cable security could support the functioning of Regional Cable Hubs, as envisaged under the EU Action Plan on Cable Security and currently under implementation at Union level (established under the Digital Europe Programme (DEP) Call 9). In view of the preparatory nature of the action, proposals are encouraged to build on relevant experience and capacities developed in related Union initiatives on submarine cable security, including by entities involved in the establishment of Regional Cable Hubs. Scope: The Pilot Project will combine interaction with the range of concerned private actors related to cable security and analysis with small-scale pilots to explore the full process of accessing and using such data: - Map the landscape of situational data held by private actors relevant to submarine-cable security, sources and type of such data (cable-related telemetry, sensor feeds, satellite and maritime-surveillance data, underwater-drone outputs and other emerging modalities); identify their technical characteristics (e.g. real-time, proprietary formats, latency, frequency), ownership, confidentiality profile, availability, usage patterns and the legal, contractual, security or other applicable constraints governing their access. - Assess the feasibility of accessing and integrating such data into a Regional Cable Hub, by first examining the commercial, organisational, regulatory and security conditions under which private actors could interface with Cable Hubs, and then analysing the technical implications of such cooperation, including the requirements for data ingestion (such as APIs, gateways, pipelines, authentication and security controls) and the maturity and limitations of existing commercial or open platforms that could s

Sectors

Source

Source: ec.europa.eu