CIVIC LANE The European Commission has earmarked €50 million to accelerate a joint Black Sea maritime security hub for Romania and Bulgaria. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed the project during her visits to the region on 9 and 10 November. The hub is intended to improve maritime monitoring and information sharing. Recent drone incidents involving commercial vessels have increased concern about shipping safety. The proposed response raises questions about security benefits, public spending and the risk of escalation.