Subsea cables are some of the most critical components of the global internet infrastructure. This report gives a high-level overview of the global subsea cable ecosystem, the technical assets involved and concludes with some good practices for cable operators and governments.

This report is intended for national authorities in the EU who have a responsibility to supervise public communication networks and core internet infrastructure, under the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) and the Directive on Security of Network and Information Systems (NIS2 Directive).

The methodology used for the creation of this report consisted of three parts:

• Desk research, taking stock of relevant literature on the topic,
• Targeted interviews, with stakeholders in the area,
• Consolidation and analysis of the information collected.