The Canary Islands are set to receive significant financial backing from the European Union, becoming the largest beneficiary of a €142 million funding package aimed at enhancing connectivity through 21 projects across the EU.
The European Commission has confirmed that €54.6 million will be allocated specifically to support submarine cable networks and connectivity infrastructure in the archipelago.
The investment aims to modernise and expand digital communication channels, a critical step in bolstering the region's integration with broader national and international networks.
The lion's share of this funding in Spain, €44.1 million, will go to Canarias Submarine Link SL. This company is tasked with executing four major projects to deploy, improve, and extend submarine cable connections between the islands.
Telefónica, the other major player, will receive the remaining €10.5 million. This will fund the installation of a new submarine cable linking the Canary Islands to southwestern mainland Spain. The new cable will replace an outdated system, ensuring the region’s integration into Spanish, European, and global backbone networks.
Submarine cables are vital to modern telecommunications, facilitating over 98% of global data traffic. Their importance to the resilience and security of digital connectivity cannot be overstated. In this context, the EU’s digital interconnectivity mechanism has prioritised ensuring the security of critical infrastructure.
To safeguard this vital system, the EU mandates that funding recipients be entities under EU control. Moreover, the cables must be constructed using secure technologies. Most of the funded cables will include advanced geo-sensors and early warning systems to monitor nearby activities and protect the infrastructure against potential threats.
This investment underlines the EU’s commitment to digital connectivity and infrastructure security, further integrating the Canary Islands into the global digital economy while enhancing their strategic telecommunications framework.
