European Policies in the Arctic: National Strategies or a Common Vision?

In Anastasia Likhacheva (ed), Arctic Fever: Political, Economic and Environmental Aspects. Palgrave Macmillan, 2022, pp. 305-332

This chapter briefly looks upon the European Union’s strategy in the Arctic and focuses on a few national cases to highlight their respective trajectories and priorities in the polar region. While the Arctic region is subject to tough geopolitical competition, the EU is still searching for its path to influence regional governance. But before becoming a consistent player, the EU must question its internal organization to make its action coherent and viable. In light of Arctic realities, the EU could defend its interests—scientific, economic, and political—in an effective manner. At the same time, some EU Member States are developing their national strategies in this area. While the French policy discourse seems to have failed since 2016, Italy and Spain demonstrate a flexible and integrated approach. By opting for polar science diplomacy, the EU Member States are becoming operators in the service of European action in the Arctic.

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