EU pledges €70 million for Black Sea security and rescue

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced €10 million for Bulgarian Black Sea search-and-rescue operations in Varna on November 10, and said the European Union would dedicate €50 million to accelerate a joint maritime security hub for Bulgaria and Romania. The pledges follow attacks on commercial vessels in the region; responsibility for those attacks remains disputed.

The Bulgarian funding is intended to strengthen the country’s ability to respond to emergencies at sea. Von der Leyen also called for a clear timeline for completing the hub, which the two countries are developing to improve maritime security and coordination. A European Commission spokesperson said Brussels aims for it to be operational by 2027.

The €50 million for the hub was announced during von der Leyen’s visit to Bucharest on November 9 and reaffirmed in Varna the following day. She also announced €10 million for Romanian search-and-rescue operations during the Romania visit. The three amounts bring the announced funding for the hub and the two countries’ rescue capacity to €70 million. The announcements do not establish when the Bulgarian funding will be disbursed.