On Wednesday 7 February, the European Parliament criticised the decision of the Storting (the Norwegian Parliament) at the beginning of January 2024, authorising the exploration of a 281,200 km² area in the Arctic for potential seabed mining.
Further decisions on extraction projects or mining permits depend on future decisions by the Norwegian government, notes the European Parliament, which adopted (523 votes in favour, 34 against and 59 abstentions) a joint resolution (EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA, ECR, The Left) on this controversial decision (see EUROPE 13330/12).
The European Parliament calls on the European Commission and Member States to support an international moratorium on deep seabed mining, including through the International Seabed Authority, “until its effects on the marine environment, marine biodiversity and human activities at sea have been sufficiently studied and researched, and until such activity can be managed to prevent any loss of marine biodiversity and degradation of marine ecosystems”.
MEPs call on EU countries to apply the precautionary principle and support an international moratorium on deep-sea mining. The European Parliament rejected an amendment from the Greens/EFA and The Left Groups asking the Storting to “reconsider its decision” in the light of “concerns” expressed by the EU in particular. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)