Finland, which took over the Presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 July, wants to make the Arctic a European priority for the next 6 months (EUROPE B12290A2).
“The importance of the Arctic region has increased due to climate change, increasing levels of economic activity, the opening of new transport links and the growing geopolitical importance of the region”, stresses the Presidency's programme, which also cites the region's growing importance for the EU's prosperity and security.