EU reveals plans for undersea cable straight to Greenland and could bypass the US entirely to connect up the world

Date:
Tue, 03 Nov 2026 23:35:00 +0000

Description:
The EU-backed Pan-Arctic Cable would connect Greenland with Europe, with possible extensions through Canada towards Japan and South Korea.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter EU commits $119 million to Greenland connectivity and the proposed Arctic cable Pan-Arctic Cable could eventually link Europe, Greenland, Canada, Japan and South Korea EU plans an Arctic Cable Hub to monitor and protect subsea infrastructure The European Union is advancing an undersea communications proposal which would connect Greenland directly with Europe, avoiding American territory.

The Pan-Arctic Cable could later reach Canada, creating a northern passage
for connections extending towards Japan and South Korea, the European Commission says, having identified the scheme as a priority in an Arctic policy paper released on October 20, 2026. Installing and maintaining equipment in Arctic waters would require additional icebreaker support, increasing construction costs and complicating subsequent repairs significantly. However, there is already an agreement between European businesses, research institutions and Greenlands telecommunications operator to further develop the proposal. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full
video here: Europe backs a new Arctic communications route The EU has committed $119 million (107 million euros) to Greenlands secure
communications infrastructure and the cable project, signalling its determination to establish the proposed connection.

The initiative comes as European governments reassess international data routes amid security concerns and uncertainty surrounding their relationships with Washington. You may like Norwegian firm pitches new undersea cable which will bypass the US entirely 2,800-mile link aims to connect Europe and
Canada NATO prevented Russia from cutting a critical undersea cable using a tool that leaves no 'traceable fingerprints' on fibre-optic wires 1,400km long lines are part of NASA's Near Space Network Russian boats spotted loitering over undersea cables connecting Europe and US

It is interesting that this project is even being considered, because five years ago it would have seemed like not a particularly commercially
attractive proposition, Elisabeth Braw, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.

But the fact that its being considered is very much on trend and a sign of
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This proposal follows another European connectivity initiative, Bulk Infrastructures Leif Erikson system, which seeks a direct connection between Norway and Canada .

Bulk began seeking a Canadian majority partner in September 2026, according
to Bloomberg, for its separately proposed transatlantic cable project.

The Leif Erikson system and Pan-Arctic plan are independent proposals, although both seek routes linking Europe with partners beyond American infrastructure. What to read next Meta unfurls Petal, a 1,000,000 Gbps internet cable 4,300 miles long that's 3.3 million times quicker than the average US connection, and probably fast enough to transfer all original
songs ever produced in less than a second Google is building three huge new subsea cables to connect North, Central and South America What is the EUs Cloud Sovereignty Framework and will it be enough? Security concerns increasingly influence cable planning European interest in alternative routes comes amid concerns about vulnerable maritime corridors carrying substantial volumes of international communications worldwide.

More than 90% of Europe-to-Asia data traffic travels through submarine links crossing the Red Sea, and attacks and disruptions around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait have increased concern about relying heavily on that route for international connectivity.

European officials have also cited incidents involving ships suspected of damaging Baltic cables through prolonged anchor dragging operations.

Reuters reported NATO forces confronted Russian submarines during exercises near Norway in spring 2026, amid concerns about undersea infrastructure security.

The EU strategy proposes an Arctic Cable Hub to oversee monitoring,
protection and repair support for infrastructure across northern waters.

It also recommends installing monitoring technology within cables, allowing operators to detect unusual activity and receive earlier warnings about possible interference.

Previous efforts to establish similar connections faced setbacks, including Arctic Connect, a proposed EuropeAsia cable along Russias northern coastline that was abandoned in May 2021.

The Pan-Arctic route avoids that corridor, while its eventual Asian extension would depend on Canadian cooperation and difficult polar construction conditions.

There is a growing interest in cable networks that reduce dependence on politically sensitive maritime corridors and potentially vulnerable infrastructure.

We are going to see more cables that connect friendly countries, and then you have to figure out how you can connect friendly countries without going through unfriendly countries exclusive economic zones or territorial waters, Braw said.

Via ArsTechnica Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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