The European Union (EU) is offering up to €50 million toward a Black Sea maritime security hub planned by Romania and Bulgaria, with the project intended to improve regional monitoring and coordination.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced dedicated funding for the hub in Varna on Nov. 10, alongside Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev. At a later briefing, European Commission (EC) spokeswoman Paula Pinho said the offer could reach €50 million and gave 2027 as the target for the facility to begin operating.
The EC said a joint working group would prepare an integrated concept and outline the work ahead, including concrete outputs and deadlines. The Commission did not identify the EU budget source or say how much of the maximum amount would ultimately be spent.
The hub was named as a flagship initiative in the EU’s May 2025 strategy for the Black Sea. The strategy described the region as important to European and global security, trade, energy and food security.
The EC said von der Leyen’s Nov. 9-10 visits to Romania and Bulgaria followed drone incidents involving commercial vessels. It said the hub is intended to improve authorities’ understanding of security conditions in the region, expand monitoring and strengthen coordination.
Euronews reported that the planned hub would operate from Constanța and Varna, with work focused on protecting critical infrastructure, sharing information between the countries and supporting trade.
At the same Varna event, the European Commission also announced separate EU support for Bulgarian Black Sea search-and-rescue operations, covered in EconoTimes’ report on the rescue funding.
The working group’s next task is to turn the concept into a plan with outputs and deadlines. The Commission has set a 2027 operating target but has not given a specific date.
