European Union plans first direct undersea cable connection to Greenland

The European Union plans to build the first subsea internet cable directly connecting Europe to Greenland, Ars Technica reported. The proposed Pan-Arctic Cable project aims to extend to Canada and eventually connect to Japan and South Korea. According to Ars Technica, the infrastructure route will notably bypass the United States. [1]

The European Commission designated the Pan-Arctic Cable as a flagship project in a joint communication published on October 20, 2026. Ars Technica reported that the policy document outlines a strategy supporting a sovereign, secure, and resilient submarine cable connection linking Greenland directly to the European Union. [1]

The initiative follows diplomatic tension that began in 2025 when the second United States presidential administration of Donald Trump sought to annex Greenland. Greenland is an autonomous territory within Denmark, which is a member of the European Union. In early 2026, Trump threatened a 25 percent import tax on goods from several European nations if Denmark did not cede the territory, though he later pledged not to use military force. [1][3][5]

Greenland has a population of 56,831 as of mid-2025 and relies heavily on isolated coastal settlements. The European Union policy aims to establish independent data routes to support communication links across the Arctic region. [1][5]