Six countries have signed a new North Sea security pact. Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Norway will invest heavily and cooperate to protect telecommunications and power cables, as well as gas and oil installations in the North Sea. This is stated in a press release sent out by the six countries on Tuesday night, NTB writes, UNN reports .
Details
Little is known about this initiative and the negotiations.
We share a common interest with our neighbors in the North Sea in protecting our critical infrastructure
Belgium is investing one million euros in a secure communication platform to help countries cooperate. The platform is called North Seal.
Through North Seal, the six countries will be able to exchange information on suspicious incidents that could affect the security of infrastructure in the North Sea, such as gas pipelines.
It is not yet known how much Norway and the other four countries intend to invest.
Context
Europe depends on gas and electricity cables in the North Sea to get enough energy. Telecommunications and data cables are also crucial for communication between countries around the North Sea basin.
The sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea in the fall of 2022 has drawn serious attention to security in the North Sea basin.