Despite the establishment of the EU Northern Dimension on a Finnish initiative in 1999, the Arctic has continued to play a rather insignificant role in Brussels. That might now be about to change, the new report from the Nordic Council of Ministers concludes.
The report “The European Union and the Arctic – Policies and Actions” written by researcher Adele Airoldi states that several EU institutions, among them the EU Commission, are getting increasingly interested in the Arctic.
A first in-depth examination by the Commission of the EU/Arctic relationship is currently underway. The examination comes as debates on climate change are picking pace and the development of Arctic oil and gas fields are getting closer.
The possible development of an EU Arctic policy has been envisaged for the first time in an EU foreign/security policy paper aimed at the European Council. The document, released earlier this year by Javier Solana and Benita Ferroro-Waldner warns against possible pressure on international governance following climate change-related threats.
A more developed “Arctic Dimension” will need to be reflected in the Commission’s structure, the report concludes.
Read the report from the Nordic Council of Ministers here
