Denmark’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities said the North Sea has become “a hub for critical infrastructure”, connecting European countries via power cables, gas pipelines and transport links. telecommunications.
“This means that increasing cross-border interdependence has emerged – and with it an increased risk of sabotage and unwanted attention from hostile actors,” the ministry said.
European countries are increasingly wary of the vulnerability of their underwater infrastructure after the 2022 Nord Stream bombing, when two gas pipelines connecting Russia and Germany in the Baltic Sea were damaged by several explosions. No culprit has been identified for the Nord Stream attack.
Then, in October 2023, a gas pipeline connecting Finland and Estonia in the Baltic Sea was damaged in another incident that sparked new concern about underwater sabotage and hybrid attacks.
Under the new North Sea security agreement, Northern European countries will review current protection and security measures, share information and knowledge and communicate relevant information at the operational level, according to the Danish ministry. The agreement focuses primarily on “resilience and prevention” and is “complementary to NATO’s work”, Norway said in a statement.
“This joint declaration provides an important basis for ensuring security and is a clear example of our common goals. Together we are stronger,” Norwegian Energy Minister Terje Aasland said in a statement.
Belgian Minister of Justice and the North Sea Paul Van Tigchelt said the new agreement will ensure that “offshore and underwater infrastructure will benefit from the same level of security across borders,” De Standaard reported , instead of varying “from one country to another”.
“We are committed to a uniform approach, better information exchange and better incident reporting. via a secure platform,” he said.
Politico
