EU advances Pan-Arctic cable plan to connect Greenland with Europe

The European Union is advancing a proposal for the Pan-Arctic Cable, which would connect Greenland directly with Europe without crossing US territory. The European Commission named the project a priority in an Arctic policy paper released on October 20, 2026.

The proposal could later extend through Canada toward Japan and South Korea, though that expansion would depend on Canadian cooperation. An agreement between European businesses, research institutions and Greenland’s telecommunications operator supports further development of the plan.

The EU has committed $119 million (107 million euros) to Greenland’s secure communications infrastructure and the cable project. Building and maintaining equipment in Arctic waters would require additional icebreaker support, raising costs and complicating repairs.

The plan comes as European governments reassess data routes amid security concerns and uncertainty in relations with Washington. More than 90% of Europe-to-Asia data traffic travels through submarine cables crossing the Red Sea. Disruptions near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait have increased concern about reliance on that route. European officials have also cited incidents involving ships suspected of damaging Baltic cables by dragging anchors.

The Pan-Arctic proposal is separate from Bulk Infrastructure’s Leif Erikson system, which seeks a direct Norway–Canada connection. The EU strategy also proposes an Arctic Cable Hub to monitor, protect and support repairs to northern infrastructure, as well as monitoring technology within cables to detect unusual activity. A previous proposal, Arctic Connect, was abandoned in May 2021.