Arctic Agenda of the European Union: Problems and Prospects

Abstract

The European Union (EU) “realized” its Arctic interests mainly due to the entry of Denmark, and then Finland and Sweden, which forced Brussels to start developing special programs for the development of the northern and subarctic territories. Over time, the Arctic has become an increasingly important object of attention for scientists, ecologists, power engineers, the military, including those from the EU countries. It was gradually opened up as a military-strategic region, influencing the global climate, forming new logistical sea routes, and as a storehouse of resources. Given the ever-growing interest in the Arctic of the socalled non-Arctic players, primarily China, the EU is also striving to define its position in the region. Its ability to cooperate with other actors, including the Arctic Council, is limited by many factors and circumstances. Nevertheless, Brussels is clearly following the agenda of increasing its presence in the Arctic. However, given the current de facto ignorance by the Arctic Council countries of the largest Arctic state represented by Russia, the still cautious attitude towards the EU on the part of other Council members may be changed. The purpose of the article is to identify the most significant factors that determine the possibility of strengthening the EU’s position in the Arctic, as well as the circumstances that impede this strategy. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: to analyze the main aspects of the EU Arctic strategy; identify opportunities for EU interaction with Arctic institutions; indicate the influence of the Russian factor on the Arctic prospects of the EU.