en.Wedoany.com Reported - The European Union announced at the second EU-Brazil Investment Forum that it will invest approximately 1.5 billion Brazilian reais (260.8 million euros) to expand the EllaLink submarine cable system, connecting the Brazilian states of Pará and Maranhão, in order to reduce reliance on traditional data routes passing through the United States. This move aims to strengthen Brazil's digital sovereignty, with plans to subsequently connect French Guiana and the Caribbean region. The project is part of the European Global Gateway strategy, which is dedicated to expanding important infrastructure in partner countries.
The EllaLink submarine cable entered commercial operation in 2021, directly connecting Fortaleza in the Brazilian state of Ceará to Sines in Portugal via approximately 5,900 kilometers of cable. According to EllaLink, the system avoids the two-stage connection model where traditional data traffic must pass through North American infrastructure. The company states that the network has a capacity of up to 100 terabits per second, with potential for future expansion, and can significantly reduce latency for transatlantic communications, shortening response times between certain European and Latin American data centers by up to 50%. For modern applications such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, financial services, scientific processing, and data centers, this reduction in transmission time can bring important operational efficiency gains.
According to the EU Delegation to Brazil, the new investment will be used for the EllaLink digital corridor, enhancing the resilience of digital connectivity in the states of Pará and Maranhão. The project also plans to implement systems such as smart nodes, advanced cybersecurity services, data resilience, and climate and environmental monitoring along the submarine route.
The announcement was made by EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela at the forum held in Brasília, emphasizing that digital connectivity is one of the strategic priorities in the relationship between Europe and Brazil. Currently, a significant portion of international communications between Latin America and Europe still uses infrastructure associated with the North American digital ecosystem, and EllaLink was designed to create a direct physical alternative between the two continents.
Digital infrastructure experts point out that submarine cables have become strategic assets comparable to oil pipelines, Central Asia–China Gas Pipeline, and energy corridors. According to information released by TeleTime in 2025, the arrival of EllaLink in Maranhão could stimulate local digital infrastructure investments, with the project expected to invest 180 million USD, including the construction of a new data center and approximately 350 to 500 kilometers of submarine connections. In Pará, a branch line of approximately 425 kilometers can be directly connected to the EllaLink international cable system, expected to drive new data processing centers, cloud services, artificial intelligence operations, technology companies, and activities related to the digital economy.
Currently, over 95% of international data traffic is transmitted through submarine cables distributed across the world's oceans. Europe's decision to expand EllaLink indicates that the battle for connectivity has shifted from a technical issue to a part of the strategic agenda for governments, businesses, and economic blocs.
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