Threat perceptions of offshore energy infrastructure in the Baltic Sea: Toward a harmonized approach?

In a context of decarbonization efforts and high geopolitical tensions, offshore energy infrastructure is becoming an increasingly critical contributor to energy mixes, either through production or import capacity. In light of their growing importance, offshore energy infrastructure must be secured accordingly. The security of energy infrastructure in the European Union is a shared competence between the states, the EU and NATO. However, energy security strategies depend on national threat perceptions and risk assessments – running the risk at odds with one another. This paper explores: how the perception of risk and the concept of energy security is assessed in selected EU-Baltic countries, namely Germany, Lithuania and Poland; the interaction between mutlilateral initiatives on energy security awareness for offshore energy infrastructure and the hypothetical emergence of a harmonized approach.