Maritime security
The EU protects its interests, citizens and values, while addressing security challenges such as attacks on underwater infrastructure, cyberthreats and risks posed by the shadow fleet.
Safe and secure seas
The EU is committed to ensuring safe and secure seas in a manner that protects its interests, citizens and economy. In addition, the growing complexity of maritime threats, ranging from attacks on underwater infrastructure to cyberthreats and risks posed by the shadow fleet, requires a coordinated response.
The EU's maritime security policy is framed by its maritime security strategy, first adopted in 2014 and updated in 2023. Since then, the Commission has launched the 'European Ocean Pact', a comprehensive strategy to protect the ocean, boost the blue economy and support coastal communities. The Council welcomed the pact on 8 December 2025, and called for further action, including in maritime security and defence.
The EU also promotes rules-based governance at sea, in line with its values and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). To this end, the EU cooperates with like-minded third countries and regional and multilateral organisations, including in strategically important maritime areas.
Integrated maritime policy
EU naval missions and assets
The EU is a global maritime security provider, and maritime security is a central part of the EU's security and defence policies. The EU is committed to further strengthening its maritime engagement, including through its naval operations ATALANTA, IRINI and ASPIDES under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).The Council has also consistently strengthened the mandates of these naval forces not least with a focus on maritime situational awareness, including in relation to monitoring the monitoring of Russia's shadow-fleet activities.
Under the guidance of the Strategic Compass, the EU is further committed to providing training and capacity-building for partners, to improving information exchange between civilian and military authorities and to strengthening maritime and border surveillance operational systems.
In 2021, the EU introduced the new concept of 'coordinated maritime presences'. It is a tool that aims to boost the EU's collective engagement on maritime security by making the best use of member states' naval assets in areas that are of strategic interest to the EU. It is currently used in the Gulf of Guinea and in the north-western Indian ocean.
The EU also takes part in an annual maritime security exercise that involves navies and coastguards from member states to boost readiness, foster interoperability and tackle evolving threats.
Civilian and military missions and operations
Critical infrastructure and cyberattacks
Protecting critical infrastructure in the maritime domain, such as gas pipelines, submarine cables and offshore wind farms, is a top priority for the EU.
The attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea in 2022, unauthorised presences near critical infrastructure in the North Sea and recurring cyberattacks and hybrid campaigns mean that the EU must reinforce its action and protect its critical infrastructure more effectively at both surface level and under water. In addition, as the maritime domain engages in the digital transformation, its complexity and potential vulnerabilities are increasing.
To make onshore and offshore critical infrastructure more resilient, the EU will develop:
- innovative technologies
- regional cooperation plans for surveillance
- interoperable unmanned monitoring systems
The Council has also welcomed the 2025 EU action plan on cable security, presented by the Commission and the High Representative, and urged further cooperation at national and international level.
On 15 December 2025, the Council adopted a declaration to counter threats from the Russian shadow fleet. The shadow fleet poses serious risks, including potential environmental damage, as well as risks to maritime safety and security, the integrity of international seaborne trade, critical undersea infrastructure and respect for international maritime rules and standards. With that in mind, the Council called on the High Representative and member states to coordinate responses to threats posed by the shadow fleet.
Hybrid threats
Unexploded ordnances
Since the First and Second World Wars, the EU has faced the challenge of dealing with large quantities of unexploded ordnance, chemical ammunition and oil leaks from shipwrecks. This problem has been further exacerbated by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, leading to the presence of mines in the Black Sea.
In some sea basins, the type, location and quantity of this ordnance are poorly documented. This creates significant risks for maritime safety and security, as it impacts the protection of people and the environment, offshore renewable energy sites and fishing activities.
The EU is committed to addressing this challenge through a comprehensive approach, by increasing maritime domain awareness and developing tools and instruments to help mitigate the risks. The Council has also welcomed the Commission's plan to develop a coordinated unexploded ordnance removal strategy.
Maritime crime
Maritime crime is a major challenge across the EU and poses a serious threat to maritime security. The crimes include:
- piracy
- migrant smuggling
- trafficking in humans, arms and narcotics
- armed robbery at sea
- illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
- plundering of marine resources
- unauthorised exploration in exclusive economic zones
These crimes threaten freedom of navigation and endanger major trade routes. As a global security provider, the EU is committed to tackling these challenges through preventive action.
Last review: 22 May 2025