Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne said that "the EU needs to develop a policy for the Arctic”, on Friday 5 July in Helsinki, following the European Commission's visit to Helsinki to launch Finland's Presidency of the Council of the EU.
"The importance of the Arctic has increased due to climate change, an increase in economic activity, the opening of new transport routes, and the increased geopolitical role of the region. As a result, the Arctic will continue to grow in importance with regard to the EU's prosperity and security", indicated the six-monthly work programme of the Finnish Presidency. It notes that "because of climate change, the Arctic is warming up at more than twice the speed of other regions, with enormous implications both for this region and the rest of the world”. The European Union must therefore invest in climate actions in this region, "in particular with regard to reducing black carbon emissions", and in sustainable economic activities relating to infrastructure, transport and energy. According to the Finnish authorities, it is also important to ensure "respect for (...) the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities in the Arctic region”.
In May, at the 11th ministerial meeting of the Arctic Council in Rovaniemi, Finland, the United States prevented the adoption of a joint declaration setting out the dangers of climate change; on the contrary, they saw it as an economic opportunity.
The Finnish Presidency will try to win over the handful of Member States that are still reluctant to accept that the European Union should set 2050 as the target for achieving carbon neutrality (see EUROPE 12285/12). "It is very important that we speak with one voice and can agree on the 2050 target", said Mr. Rinne.
On Friday, in Helsinki, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, reported on a "total harmony” between the actions of the European institution and the Finnish work programme on the issue of climate change.
"There is an urgency: if we continue to live as we do, tomorrow we will need four planets. But we only have one. It is better to safeguard the one we have than to think about inventing other planets", Mr Juncker said. He stressed the need to achieve all of the objectives set by the EU by 2035. "I think that, under the Finnish Presidency, it must be established that Europe has to be climate-neutral”, he added, noting that Finland "is leading the way as it will be in 2035”.
The President of the Commission also hoped that, in the forthcoming negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027, Member States will accept a “very significant increase in funds to combat climate change". The 25% threshold for the financial endowment could be used for this purpose.
Mr Rinne also pointed out that the Finnish Presidency and the College of Commissioners had worked on Friday on the proposal so that the granting of European financial aid would be conditional on respect for the Rule of law in the Member States (see EUROPE 12229/3).
Respect for fundamental values within the EU is another issue at the heart of Finland's priorities (see EUROPE 12283/2). (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)