On 26 November 2019, the Institute for European Studies of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in cooperation with GOVTRAN organised a policy forum on challenges and opportunities for the EU arctic policy. We are now publishing a video recording from the event, divided in three parts.

 

Speakers:

Marie-Anne Coninsx (former EU Ambassador for the Arctic)

Dr Andreas Østhagen (Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Oslo)

Mikael Janson (Director for North Sweden European Office)

Sebastian Oberthür (IES-VUB, moderator)

Organizer:

Aslak Veierud Busch (PhD Researcher, IES-VUB)

 

Part 1

 

Part 2

 

Part 3

 

Some takeaways from the event:

This policy forum touched upon the importance of the EU for the Arctic, and the importance of the Arctic for the EU, and the challenges in ensuring visibility and understanding of the EU’s Arctic policy. With von der Leyen’s new Commission and a new Arctic Ambassador-at-large in place, it will be interesting to see what attention the Arctic gets within the “European Green Deal” and in what is labelled a geopolitical Commission. A first step in understanding the EU is dispelling myths about a conflict on the horizon, and also tempering expectations – while avoiding being naïve about the influence of global actors. The Arctic will play an important role in the political economy of the future, what remains to be seen is whose interests win out, and whether sustainability concerns remain as central amidst political developments.

See more about the original event here

 

 

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