In a written answer on 22 July 2026, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Mr Kadis detailed EU efforts to improve detection of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and other hybrid maritime threats, responding to a parliamentary question by MEP Nikolaos Anadiotis (NI) about a Ukrainian Magura V5 USV detected off Lefkada, Greece. The answer signals a policy push to close surveillance gaps exposed by the incident, affecting Member States' security authorities, EU defence industry contractors, and coastal communities.
The Commissioner cited ongoing work under the European Defence Fund (EDF) and European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) to fund projects enhancing maritime domain awareness, including advanced sensors, AI-driven analytics, and integrated command-and-control solutions. He noted that the Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE) will develop a classified network in 2026 to improve cross-border information exchange on threats such as USVs. The Commission is also examining ways to strengthen EUROSUR, the border surveillance system, to better address hybrid threats and unmanned systems, focusing on reporting, analysis, and the European situational picture, while operational response remains a national responsibility.
the Action Plan on Cable Security, which proposes regional cable hubs with AI-based threat analysis for near real-time monitoring near submarine cables, and the Action Plan on Drone and Counter-Drone Security, which addresses undersea and surface drones and will launch a pilot to enhance maritime domain awareness. The answer contains concrete commitments—such as the 2026 classified CISE network and pilot actions—but lacks specific timelines or funding figures for the EUROSUR upgrade. Institutional follow-up is expected as the Commission develops the CISE classified network and implements the drone action plan, with Member States retaining operational control over responses.