Dr Joe Borg, member of the European Commission responsible for fisheries and maritime affairs, expressed full satisfaction over the conference on the Arctic, a matter of concern to all. He said that the Nordic Council of Ministers has consistently been a pioneer in the initiatives it has undertaken, and this event is no exception. The conference was organized by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The conference provides an opportunity to outline Europe’s vision for future cooperation and action in this extremely important region.
It is said in the conference that the European community cannot remain impassive in the face of such alarming developments affecting the Arctic Climate, and, in consequence, the rest of the planet. In a document on “Climate Change and International Security” adopted earlier this year, the European Commission, together with the High Representative Javier Solana, signalled the need to reflect on the increasing importance of the Arctic in EU policy.
The document is said to have strong concern about the growing geopolitical importance of the Arctic region due to factors such as the rapid melting of the polar ice caps in the Arctic, which is opening up new waterways and international trade routes, and the increased accessibility to the enormous hydrocarbon resources in the Arctic region. The European Union has therefore an important contribution to make to the future of this region.
Dr Joe Borg informed that the vast European Arctic and Sub-Arctic spaces are priority areas of the new Northern Dimension. This Northern Dimension is also the regional expression in the North of the complex relationship between the EU and Russia. It therefore serves as a privileged platform for us to discuss Northern issues with Russia, Norway and Iceland. He also explained that the Arctic region is also important for the European Union within the framework of the Integrated Maritime Policy, which declares, among its five goals, the aim of promoting Europe’s leadership in international Maritime Affairs.
