On Monday 9 December in Brussels, the EU Council of Ministers adopted conclusions, in which it said it looked forward to an “update” of the EU Arctic policy (see EUROPE 12341/17).
The EU's policy in this area is illustrated in a joint communication dated April 2016.
While recognising that Arctic States have the primary responsibility for the region's development, the EU Council notes that many issues affecting the region are of a global nature and are “more effectively addressed through regional or multilateral cooperation”. Member States stress that the EU should continue to make a significant contribution in both regional and multilateral fora which deal with arctic matters.
In light of the new challenges and opportunities across the Arctic and growing international interest, the EU Council invites the High Representative and the Commission to continue to actively implement EU Arctic policy, to initiate a process in order to update this policy and to continue to report to the EU Council regularly. Link to the text of the conclusions: http://bit.ly/344w9M3 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)