The EU Parliament has asked the EU Commission to work out a new international agreement for the protection of the Arctic. According to the EU-parliament, there are no multilateral regulations for the Arctic region today.
Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre does not agree with the EU Parliament that there is a need for a new treaty for the Arctic region.
– The idea of the Arctic as an area without legal rights and in desperate need of a treaty which can establish control, is something which Norway will not support. In our opinion the law of the seas is a very solid and well functioning regulation of the Arctic, says Støre to NRK.
Norway has support from the other Arctic Council countries in that the UN’s law of the seas from 1982 is a good basis for regulation of the Arctic. Støre emphasises that this agreement must not be toned down.
According to Støre Norway also has support from the EU Commission on this issue. What’s important now is to supplement the law of the seas with measures which will regulate ship traffic and energy exploitation in the Polar Regions.
