Arctic Strategies of the EU and Non-Arctic States: Identifying Some Common Elements

Abstract

The national Arctic strategies of the eight Member States of the Arctic Council serve as important domestic policy guidelines to pursue long-term national objectives in Arctic matters. As part of an evolving process, several non-Arctic States have developed such policy guidelines as well. Most of these nations are recurring observers to the Arctic Council (i.e. on a “non-ad hoc” basis). Their national Arctic strategies outline the driving factors for active research engagement and other objectives in the region. Moreover, the European Union (EU) is in process of defining its major policy objectives in the Arctic as well. The EU’s goals are evidenced by a series of publications from different EU institutions, developing further an “EU Integrated Arctic Policy”. This chapter first provides a summary and reference guide on the EU’s general policy objectives in international (marine) environmental law and ocean governance, including statements on the evolution of an Integrated EU Arctic policy since 2008. It is supplemented by some references on the German national Arctic strategy (first published in 2013) which represents an exemplary policy document of a non-Arctic State with a comprehensive interest in Arctic matters. The chapter also identifies some further common elements of national Arctic strategies of other non-Arctic States.