Strasbourg, 20 October 2026
On Tuesday, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presented a new Strategy for the Arctic. The Strategy presents a new framework of political cooperation for like-minded partners that places people, security, climate and prosperity at its core. It has four priorities: strengthening security and resilience, responding to climate change in the Arctic, prosperity, and opportunities for people and communities in the Arctic.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “The Arctic is Europe’s Northern Neighbourhood – close, connected and critical to our future. And it is changing. New shipping routes and resources are driving strategic competition. With our new Strategy, we are investing in stronger security, resilient infrastructure and economic opportunities. For the benefit of the people who call the Arctic home, and for our shared space.”
The EU is part of the Arctic: more than half a million EU citizens live there. With the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland and Sweden as Arctic EU Member States, and close ties with Norway, Iceland, the UK, Canada and the United States, the developments in the Arctic directly affect Europe’s security, the climate, and our prosperity.
The Arctic is changing fast. It is warming nearly four times faster than the global average, affecting ecosystems, changing livelihoods and communities. New shipping routes and uncovering resources are reshaping Arctic’s security and economic landscape, resulting in increasing geopolitical tensions, strategic competition and military activity.
Following extensive consultations with Arctic stakeholders, the Strategy proposes concrete measures to promote a stable and future-proof Arctic, in close cooperation with Arctic partners, local communities including Indigenous Peoples and in their interest.
The new Strategy sets out four priorities in response to this evolving context:
I. Strengthening security and resilience in the Arctic
The EU will work with Member States, Arctic partners and in complementarity with NATO, to improve preparedness, protect critical infrastructure and strengthen Europe’s ability to operate in Arctic conditions, including by expanding European icebreaker capacity.
The EU will promote Arctic-ready, dual-use and multi-purpose capabilities that benefit local communities, the Arctic and the EU. It will also focus on long-term situational preparedness and responsiveness by ensuring supply chain resilience, protecting northern maritime borders, and safeguarding critical subsea infrastructure.
To advance shared situational awareness and vigilance, a new Maritime Security Hub will support Member States and partners in sharing information and improving monitoring of maritime activities in the Arctic. As a first step, the EU will support the establishment of an Arctic Cable Hub to monitor, protect and help repair submarine cables in the North Atlantic and Arctic. It will also invest in smart technologies to detect potential threats to this critical infrastructure. The Hub will be further developed to include tracking shadow fleet vessels, detecting illegal fishing and pollution, and improving search and rescue coordination.
II. Responding to accelerating climate change
The Arctic is experiencing climate change on an unprecedented scale, warming nearly four times faster than the global average. As a global climate regulator, these changes also have consequences far beyond the Arctic, including rising sea levels and changing weather patterns. These effects are being directly felt across Europe. From deadly heatwaves to changes in ecosystems, Europe is warming at twice the global rate.
The EU will strengthen climate research, observation and monitoring to better understand these changes and support effective responses.
Among other initiatives, the EU will work with Member States and partners on data sharing through OceanEye, the EU’s new ocean monitoring and observation initiative. This will help improve climate predictions, strengthen maritime safety and support efforts to adapt to climate change.
III. Building a prosperous and economically secure Arctic
Opportunities for economic cooperation are emerging in the Arctic in renewable energy, critical raw materials, dual-use transport, digital connectivity and sustainable marine industries. The EU will support sustainable economic development that creates jobs, improves infrastructure and connectivity to the benefits of Arctic communities and European businesses.
The EU will work to integrate European infrastructure, such as ports, rail connections, energy terminals, satellite and digital infrastructure into emerging Arctic trade and transport networks. This will create better connections to the European markets and beyond, while strengthening new supply chains.
Transport connectivity is essential for economic development, military mobility and regional cohesion. The EU will strengthen transport connectivity towards the Arctic by upgrading the European Transport Corridors to dual-use standards, and speeding up the implementation of the Rail Nordica project.
The EU will also support secure, resilient submarine cable connectivity through the Pan-Arctic Cable, linking Greenland directly to Europe. At the same time, it will provide secure satellite connectivity for government communications through IRIS² Arctic Connectivity.
Building on the already existing cooperation, the EU will continue supporting the Arctic to develop its renewable energy and sustainable minerals potential. In line with the 2021 Joint Communication on the Arctic, the EU’s position remains clear on ensuring that oil, coal and gas stay in the ground, including in Arctic regions.
A new EU Polar Research Hub will strengthen the link between science and policy. By reinforcing the European Polar Coordination Office, it will better connect research, observation and scientific infrastructure, improve access to research resources and strengthen coordination with stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples. This will support better informed decisions and scientific innovation.
IV. Creating opportunities for people and communities in the Arctic
The future of the Arctic must be shaped together with the people who live and work there. The Strategy places local communities, young people and Indigenous Peoples at the centre of the EU’s approach, with a focus on education, employment, skills and social inclusion.
In this regard, the EU will strengthen Erasmus+ opportunities for Arctic young people through exchanges and skills development. The EU will also continue regular Arctic Youth Policy Dialogues and establish a Youth Sounding Board in Greenland.
Arctic regional development already benefits from over €1 billion in EU cohesion support for the 2021–2027 period. The EU will continue supporting Arctic local governments in addressing shared challenges and exchange knowledge on climate resilience, education, youth engagement and sustainable local development. As a concrete example, the EU will expand existing cooperation via the Arctic Mayors’ Forum, which will gather local governments from across the Arctic.
The Arctic is also home of vibrant democracies. They however face similar external threats, such as on the integrity of their information space. The EU will work with Arctic partners and communities to strengthen democratic resilience, including by countering foreign information manipulation and interference and disinformation.
The EU will also continue to deepen engagement and dialogue with Arctic communities, and in particular with young people, to ensure their needs and ambitions continue to shape the work in the Arctic.
Background
The new Arctic Strategy builds on the issues identified by the EU’s 2021 Arctic policy and responds to the major geopolitical, security and environmental changes that have taken place since then. The EU has longstanding political, economic, environmental and societal ties with the Arctic.
The Strategy was prepared following extensive consultations with governments, local communities including Indigenous Peoples, young people, businesses and researchers across the Arctic. This includes outreach by Jyrki Katainen in his role as Special Adviser for the EU-Arctic relations. These contributions have helped shape an approach that combines Europe’s strategic interests with the priorities and ambitions of the people who live in the Arctic.
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Quote(s)
The Arctic is Europe’s Northern Neighbourhood – close, connected and critical to our future. And it is changing. New shipping routes and resources are driving strategic competition. With our new Strategy, we are investing in stronger security, resilient infrastructure and economic opportunities. For the benefit of the people who call the Arctic home, and for our shared space.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
Arctic security is European security. More than 500,000 EU citizens live in the Arctic, and three EU Member States are Arctic nations. With Russia and China increasing their footprint and ambition, the Arctic has become a front line of global power competition. Our revamped Strategy reflects this new reality and puts security firmly at its core. To defend our interests, we are stepping up efforts in surveillance, infrastructure, military mobility, and defence technologies that can withstand the harsh climate. Access to Arctic sea lanes and natural resources is of strategic interest to the EU.
Kaja Kallas, VP and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
For Europe, the Arctic is not distant. It is part of our Northern Neighbourhood. It is changing fast, and what happens there directly affects us. But it is first of all home to people whose lives are being transformed by the ongoing changes. Our new Arctic Strategy will strengthen our partnership with them to build a secure and prosperous future for the Arctic.
Jozef Síkela, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships
Source – EU Commission
Statement by EU Commission President von der Leyen on Europe’s Northern Neighbourhood: A New Strategy for the Arctic
Strasbourg, 20 October 2026
Good afternoon,
We have just adopted our new European Arctic Strategy. It was time to do so. The Arctic is one place where the tectonic plates of geopolitics are colliding. And it is not someone else’s frontier. It is part of the European Union. Three of our Member States are Arctic countries, and more than half a million EU citizens live in the Arctic. For Europe, it is also our Northern Neighbourhood: close, connected and very critical to our future. So when we see Russia rebuilding its Arctic military footprint, pursuing hybrid strategies against its neighbours, and reshaping the security of the Arctic: it impacts the European Union as a whole. When we see that sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the rules that have underpinned stability in the region can no longer be taken for granted: we have to act and change our strategic posture. And, together with like-minded partners, stand up for these values.
Security is not the only trigger. Our strategy is also about the economy. As the Arctic becomes more accessible, it also becomes more central to Europe’s economic security: critical raw materials essential to our green and digital transitions, emerging shipping routes that reshape global trade, connectivity infrastructure that will define the region’s future. These are opportunities. Our goal is to turn them into prosperity for Arctic communities, while strengthening Europe’s economic resilience.
And there is another angle that is important to us: the Arctic belongs to the people of the Arctic. To the families, communities, Indigenous Peoples and young people who want to build their future in the Arctic. It is their home. This is why we keep them at the very centre of our approach. Their home is massively affected by climate change. The Arctic is warming nearly four time faster than the global average. As a global climate regulator, the Arctic shapes weather patterns, biodiversity and sea level rise worldwide. For Europe, the consequences are direct. Arctic warming is driving more extreme and persistent weather patterns across our continent. And it changes our ecosystems, agriculture and water systems. This is why our strategy maintains a strong emphasis on protecting the Arctic environment and advancing the clean transition.
Finally, and importantly, our strategy is about our partnership with key Arctic allies, such as Canada, and our many like-minded partners. We want to work with them more closely. On a peaceful, stable and resilient Arctic. On a prosperous and economically secure Arctic. Basically, on an Arctic that delivers for its people.
Thank you very much.
Source – EU Commission
Europe’s Northern Neighbourhood – A New Strategy for the Arctic: Remarks by High Representative Kallas at the press conference
Good afternoon everyone,
Today the College adopted a Joint Communication entitled the European Northern Neighbourhood: A New Strategy for the Arctic. Of course, we will go into detail with Commissioner Síkela in a few moments.
But we also adopted a Communication entitled Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture, which Executive Vice President Fitto and Commissioner Kadis will present to you shortly after this press conference.
That is the readout of the College meeting. We can go to the main topic of today – the EU’s updated Arctic Strategy.
The Arctic plays an important role in trade, communication, and defence. Since our previous Arctic Strategy in 2021, we face a much harsher security environment.
The Arctic is no longer insulated from the world’s geopolitical tensions. Our updated Arctic Strategy reflects this new reality by putting security firmly at its core.
The list of challenges is long, but a few stand out: Russia is expanding its military footprint in the High North. Moscow has reopened Soviet-era bases and is testing new weapons in the region. Drone incursions, GPS jamming and the sabotage of undersea cables undermine Arctic security. The increased traffic of Russia’s shadow fleet puts shipping and the environment at risk.
China’s strategic ambitions in the High North are also growing. Beijing’s investments in ports, minerals and critical infrastructure need careful scrutiny.
The bottom line is that the Arctic has become the frontline of global power competition.
All this comes because the Arctic is warming three to four times faster than the global average. Retreating ice is opening access to resources and shipping routes – and heating up competition over who controls them.
The Arctic is Europe’s Northern Neighbourhood. It is close, connected and critical to our future.
Three EU Member States – Denmark, Finland and Sweden – are Arctic nations. More than half a million EU citizens live there.
All this makes Arctic security European security. To defend our interests, we plan to step up investments in surveillance, infrastructure, military mobility, and capabilities. We will work closely with Member States and partners, while fully respecting their sovereignty.
Let me give some concrete examples:
The EU will strengthen surveillance and satellite monitoring by extending the EU’s satellite systems – Copernicus and Galileo – to better detect Arctic threats.
An Arctic Cable Hub can allow us to better monitor, protect and repair critical undersea infrastructure. This could be a first step towards a broader Maritime Security Hub to track suspicious vessels, illegal fishing, and pollution.
We will explore joint procurement and pooling to expand Europe’s icebreaker capacity. Because in the Arctic, icebreakers are the measure of power.
We also intend to improve military mobility through Arctic ports, airports and transport corridors, so forces and equipment can get where they are needed, faster.
Through the European Defence Fund, we are investing €260 million in new technologies, including aircraft that can withstand severe environments, textiles for extreme weather and over-the-horizon sensors.
The Arctic is under NATO’s watch, and all of these efforts are complementary to the Alliance’s role in collective defence.
Our second priority is building even closer regional ties in our Northern Neighbourhood. Europe is strongest when it works with its partner for a peaceful, secure and prosperous Arctic.
Closer cooperation with Norway, Iceland, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and other like-minded partners – in full respect of their sovereignty – is essential to achieving it.
We had a good European Arctic Summit in Rovaniemi in September. It could serve as a model for regular high-level joint summits with our Member States and partners to discuss shared challenges and how to address them together.
In Greenland, we are investing 200 million in renewable energy, raw materials, as well as connectivity, housing, and infrastructure. We are also planning a secure submarine cable linking Greenland to Europe.
Third, economic security and sustainable development. The Arctic’s critical raw materials, clean energy and emerging trade routes matter for European competitiveness.
We will strengthen our supply chains with trusted partners, invest in renewable energy, and improve transport and digital connectivity.
This includes speeding up the implementation of the Rail Nordica project and advancing the long-term ambition to build a Pan-Arctic data cable. Commissioner Síkela can speak more about the economic aspects in a moment.
Fourth, protecting the Arctic’s environment and its people.
Economic opportunity must not come at the expense of the environment and of the people who live there. Our investments must be sustainable, respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights and deliver real benefits for Arctic communities.
Europe has interests to defend, partners to work with and responsibilities to meet. Europe will not be a bystander in the Arctic.
Source – EEAS
Remarks by EU Commissioner Síkela on Europe’s Northern Neighbourhood: A New Strategy for the Arctic
Strasbourg, 20 October 2026
“Check against delivery”
Thank you, Kaja. Good afternoon.
The Arctic is part of our neighbourhood, and what happens there affects directly the whole of Europe.
But the region is changing extremely fast. Climate change, geopolitical tensions, and strategic competition are reshaping the Arctic dramatically.
Europe must keep pace. That is why I am very glad that today we have adopted Europe’s new Arctic Strategy for this new Arctic reality.
Over the past months, I have travelled extensively across the Arctic and met political leaders, businesses, representatives of Indigenous communities, and young people.
I wanted to listen to their concerns, understand their ambitions, and learn what matters most to them.
Their message was to work together and ensure that the future of the Arctic is shaped by the people who live there.
That is why our response goes beyond security. We focus on stronger economic ties with the Arctic and placing the people who call it home at the centre of our approach.
After all, they are the ones most directly affected by the changes under way.
I would like to start with what we are going to do to help build a prosperous Arctic.
With the changes we are seeing, we must invest in an Arctic that is better connected, more resilient and more prosperous.
This means stronger cooperation across all key sectors: transport, digital and space connectivity, renewable energy, critical raw materials, sustainable fisheries, tourism, research and innovation.
A key principle of our approach is to invest in dual-use and multipurpose assets. This will strengthen the resilience of local communities and create new opportunities but also reinforce Europe’s security and preparedness.
Let me give you three concrete examples of how we will deliver on these ambitions.
First, transport connectivity.
We want to bring the European Arctic closer together by strengthening connections between Finland, Sweden and Norway. Through initiatives such as Rail Nordica or the Trans-European Transport Network, we will improve transport links and make it easier for people and goods to move across the region. This will also enhance military mobility.
Second, digital connectivity.
When distances are vast, reliable digital connections are essential. For communities, for businesses, for education, and for access to public services.
With Greenland, we are already investing in subsea cable infrastructure through the Pan-Arctic Cable Vision. But we want to go further and explore the potential to extend the link towards Asia.
Third, research and innovation.
As the Arctic changes, we need a better understanding of what this means for its environment, its economy and its people.
This is why we will establish the EU Polar Research Hub. It will bring scientific research, observation and policymaking closer together and turn scientific knowledge into more effective action.
The Arctic is home to communities, cultures and traditions and to people with their own ambitions for the future.
And for our investments to deliver, we must place the local communities at the centre of our action.
Having travelled across the Arctic, I could not help but admire the resilience with which local communities are meeting these challenges and building their future in demanding conditions.
What sets the EU’s partnership apart is our commitment to work with these communities, listen to their priorities and respect their choices.
This has guided our approach throughout the preparation of the Strategy. We have engaged extensively with Arctic partners.
What we heard has helped shape this new Strategy. Let me give you again three examples of how we will put this into practice.
First, we will invest in education and opportunities for young people through educational exchanges and stronger cooperation between institutions. Part of this will be to expand Erasmus+ opportunities for people from across the Arctic.
Second, to strengthen democratic resilience, we will further support cooperation among local governments across the Arctic. We will also work with Arctic partners to counter disinformation and foreign interference.
And third, to give young people a stronger voice in our partnership, we will establish a Youth Sounding Board attached to the EU Office in Nuuk. This will create a dedicated platform for young people to share their ideas, raise their concerns and contribute to shaping our partnership.
It builds on the dialogue we have already established through the Indigenous Peoples Dialogue, the Arctic Youth Dialogue at the EU-Arctic Forum, and our wider exchanges with young people across the Arctic.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Arctic is warming nearly – as already mentioned – four times faster than the global average.
This is the defining force behind the changes we are seeing and the challenges that come with them.
We must do more. And every action we take in the Arctic must be taken with the climate in mind.
The best way to face the challenges in the Arctic is to face them together. That is why Europe’s new Arctic Strategy is, above all, about partnership.
A partnership that will help us build a secure Arctic, a sustainable Arctic, and a prosperous Arctic. And an Arctic that works for its people.
So let me now thank all the partners with whom we have worked on this Strategy: President von der Leyen, High Representative/Vice-President Kallas, Commissioner Kadis, our Arctic Member States, and our friends from Greenland, Canada, Norway and Iceland.
Let me also thank my team and our Special Adviser, Jyrki Katainen.
But adopting the Strategy is only the beginning. My responsibility now is to ensure that these commitments are fully implemented.