Brussels, 18/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's international trade (INTA) committee backs proposals to link Denmark's autonomous territory of Greenland to the international certification system for rough diamonds.
In the trade ion diamonds, Greenland must be treated as part of the EU: that is the essence of the European Commission proposals, which were backed unanimously by MEPs from the INTA committee on 18 December. The MEPs backed two legislative proposals which would allow Greenland to join the international certification system for diamonds - called the Kimberley process - and thus to attract potential investors for its mining industry.
Two changes in the EU's legal acts were upheld - on the one hand, a new customs system for the movement of rough diamonds between Greenland and the EU and third countries, and on the other, amendments to the regulation on the Kimberley process so as to extend the scope of its application to the territory of Greenland. The Commission's proposals - which were tabled in June - follow the requests of Denmark and Greenland. Greenland, situated in the North Atlantic, is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark and considered as an EU overseas territory. The treasure of Greenland's precious stones is much coveted, and both Denmark and Greenland want to join the international certification system to stem the flows of conflict diamonds.
Greenland and the majority of its population still depend greatly on outside financing and revenue from fishing, but fishing revenue is increasingly less stable due to the limits on stocks and quotas, and climate change. Recent research has shown that the territory of Greenland has large diamond resources - but its own resources are not enough to start significant quarrying. Europe is thus positioning itself in the quest for minerals and precious stones - a quest which is the cause of fierce competition among the world's large economies. (EH/transl.fl)