Abstract
The Arctic states are bound in an institutional relationship by means of their actions through the Arctic Council (AC) - an organisation created by the eight Arctic states. Although a number of its European Union (EU) states are both members and observers in the AC, the EU is not, despite its clear stake in the Arctic, for of a number of reasons. The AC twice postponed the application of the EU in 2013; however, it granted the EU the right to observe the AC meetings as an ‘‘observer in principle.’’ In addition to the significant resource and commercial interests of the EU in the Arctic, it assumes a stewardship role in the Arctic. As the leader in combating global climate change, for example, the EU is committed to assuming responsibility for protecting the Arctic environment given that climate change does have a devastating impact in the Arctic. Moreover, the EU is also concerned about its and continental Europe’s only indigenous people, the Sa´mi, a significant proportion of whom live in its Arctic member states of Finland and Sweden. Thus, in recent years, the EU has endorsed a series of policy documents concerning the Arctic. Against the background of this development, this article examines whether the policy responses of the Arctic states with regard to the EU’s increased ambition to engage in Arctic matters make it a legitimate actor or stakeholder. The article concludes that even though the Arctic states, as the primary actors, determine the region’s governance approach, they see also a general partnership role for the EU with regard to the common goals of knowledge-based responsible governance and sustainable development of the Arctic.(Published: 6 November 2015)Citation: K. Hossain. ‘‘EU Engagement in the Arctic: Do the Policy Responses from the Arctic States Recognise the EU as a LegitimateStakeholder?.’’ Arctic Review on Law and Politics, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2015, pp. 89–110. http://dx.doi.org/10.17585/arctic.v6.97
Highlights
Since the end of past decade, the European Union (EU) has started showing notable interest in the Arctic
Russia has committed itself to emission reductions of 10Á15% below 1990 levels by 2020, which means a 30Á35% increase over 2007 levels, and to using 4.5% renewables in its energy mix by 2020.35 The EU is committed to taking effective actions to strike a balance between its internal decarbonisation policy and an external actor’s (Russia’s) domestic policy based on fossil fuels
While the Arctic states do not tend to recognise the EU as a legitimate actor in the region, lacking as it does sovereignty and regional presence, they do not deny its importance in the promotion of an Arctic agenda
Summary
Since the end of past decade, the European Union (EU) has started showing notable interest in the Arctic. The EU is concerned about its and continental Europe’s only indigenous people, the Sami, a significant proportion of whom live in its Arctic member states*Finland and Sweden*and the protection of whose rights falls within the ambit of the EU’s policy priorities It is in light of these commitments that the EU has developed a policy of its own towards the Arctic. Most of the Arctic states see the EU as a cooperative partner in the promotion of Arctic-related matters with the EU’s engagement viewed as complementary to the development taking place in the AC Against this background, this article examines whether the policy responses of the Arctic states with regard to the EU’s increased ambition to engage in Arctic matters make it a legitimate actor or stakeholder in the Arctic. Both the EU and the Arctic states maintain common objectives in Arctic affairs, and their policies are complementary with a view to developing an effective partnership and making the EU a legitimate stakeholder in the Arctic
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