Brussels, 27/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - In a communication adopted by the college of commissioners on Wednesday 27 April, the European Commission proposed an integrated policy on the Arctic providing a coherent framework for action and EU financing programmes by bringing together environmental, maritime, scientific and technological aspects.
In making this proposal, the Commission is responding to the request made of it by the European Parliament and Council of the EU in 2014.
This integrated policy is intended to guide the actions of the EU in years to come in order to meet three challenges: - to fight climate change and safeguard the environment; - to foster sustainable development in the Arctic region and its indigenous people; - and to support international cooperation on all issues relating to this region (which includes the Arctic Ocean and eight Arctic states - Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia and the USA).
The communication announces 39 actions that are organised around three pillars in order to ratchet up the EU's commitment to this region of strategic importance, which has enormous potential for the exploitation of natural resources (minerals, oil, gas, fish stocks) and is much coveted by the world's great powers, but which is also exposed to quicker climate warming than expected.
“A safe, sustainable and prosperous Arctic not only serves the 4 million people living there, our European Union and the rest of the world. It is a region of immense environmental, social and economic importance to us all”, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini told press.
The environment, energy, transport and fisheries are among the EU's many interests in the Arctic. Hailing “an example of constructive international cooperation”, Mogherini added that it is in the EU's interest that this cooperation be maintained and increased - “because the Arctic is also crucial in terms of regional and global security, and a strategic component of our foreign policy”, she said, adding that the EU will work with all the countries that have territories in the Arctic, and all the countries that have interests in it, like China.
The USA is currently chairing the Arctic Council (2015-17), with the EU being involved as an ad hoc observer. Finland is due to take over the chair in a year's time, and Mogherini said she hoped Finland would work for the EU to have the “full and permanent” status to which it aspires (see EUROPE 10846).
International cooperation. The EU will continue to play an active role in all international bodies linked to the Arctic (Arctic Council, Barents Euro-Arctic Council).
The Arctic region is subject to a large number of external threats and is warming more quickly than the rest of the world with the acceleration of permafrost melt and a rise in sea levels, as well as changes to fish routes, Arctic wildlife and marine ecosystems, said European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella, who is due to meet the fisheries minsters from Finland, Iceland and Norway on Thursday. “Research will be an essential tool to know the causes and impact of what is currently happening”, Vella stated, saying that in addition to the €200 million committed by the EU to research in the Arctic since 2002, “another €40 million will be committed to facilitate scientific cooperation and sharing data in real time”. Although, for the moment, “there is no drilling in the European zone because the attempts are not profitable, we must see how this evolves. The feasibility of drilling or any other economic activity is vital”, he said.
Climate and safeguarding the environment. Among the actions proposed are: - the EU's commitment to helping implement the Paris Accord on the climate, and working with the Arctic states and their peoples, as well as in international bodies, to develop an ambitious programme for adapting to climate change; - the allocation of around €20 million to research on the Arctic as part of the Horizon 2020 programme; - the update, by 22 European research institutions on the Arctic, of an integrated European Polar research programme as part of the EU-PolarNET initiative; - the EU's support for transnational access to research infrastructure in the Arctic (research boats and stations, observations by satellite), and free access to data resources; - the support of the Copernicus Space programme for international research on climate change in the Arctic.
Sustainable development. In order to fill the shortfall in investment in the European part of the Arctic, the Commission will improve coordination between the relevant financing programmes for supporting the innovation and development of infrastructure. It will also list the priorities for investment and research, and will contribute to strengthening the capacity of stakeholders so that the financial support granted to the region can be optimised. European Space programmes and targeted EU research projects will contribute to maritime safety in the region, through the monitoring and surveillance of vessel traffic and shifts in pack ice by Copernicus, and the supply of satellite navigation services by Galileo. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)