The EU Commission will double its support for Greenland in the next budget.
In addition, a major investment package is being prepared in dialogue with the Greenlandic authorities.
This is according to EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, who will be visiting the Future Greenland conference on 19-20 May.
– We have identified a number of areas where we should increase our investments. The Commission has proposed to more than double the EU's support for Greenland in the next budget. In addition, a strong investment package is being prepared in dialogue with the Greenlandic authorities. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will present it during her visit later this year. There is one thing I would like to emphasize: Whatever we invest in, it will meet the highest environmental and social standards - Greenland's and Europe's. It is not negotiable for us, and I know it is not negotiable for Greenland. Investments that do not bring real benefits to local communities are not the kind of investments we want to be part of, says Jozef Síkela.
A partnership without pressure
According to the Commissioner, Greenland can play a much greater role in securing the EU's supply of critical raw materials:
– Greenland possesses significant deposits of materials that Europe needs for its industry and defence: graphite, molybdenum, rare earths, etc. Europe needs reliable, transparent supply chains, built together with partners who share our values. That is the basis for cooperation. So how it happens matters more than whether it happens. Our approach is partnership, not pressure. We support responsible development of the entire sector, i.e. capacity building, regulatory framework and relations with European industry and investors.
Green energy solutions
How can the EU support the green transition and energy independence in Greenland?
– By doing the practical work, project by project. We are already working together with the Department of Energy, Nukissiorfiit, Nunagreen and mining companies, and we also plan to work on creating green energy solutions with agriculture in South Greenland.
– We must reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. Climate change is a challenge that no country can solve alone. Greenland is on the front line. Europe is a serious partner in standing up to it and ensuring sustainable and local adaptation in line with what Greenland itself wants to do.
Development of hydropower
Does the EU see potential in Greenland as a partner in renewable energy, such as hydropower or Power-to-X?
– Of course. There is great potential and we are already supporting the development of hydropower. Both commercial projects like Tasersiaq and the expansion of public hydropower capacity through Nukissiorfiit. Looking ahead, Power-to-X is a real opportunity. Greenland has the renewable energy resources. Europe has the industrial demand and the technology. Bringing these together can open up completely new value chains with benefits that will be felt in Greenland. This is exactly the kind of cooperation we want to develop, says Jozef Síkela.
A region of peaceful cooperation
How does the EU see Greenland's role in ensuring security and stability in the Arctic? And how can the EU support it?
– The Arctic must remain a region of peaceful cooperation. Europe has learned the hard way how disastrous any other development can be, and the European Union is, in its essence, a peace project that has helped transform a conflict-ridden region into the superpower we are today.
– Based on this, the EU fully supports Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark and its people, so that they can always freely and without external pressure determine their own future. Sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable, says Jozef Síkela, adding that Greenland plays a very important role in the region and that EU cooperation reflects this.
– It is the practicalities that make people feel safe in a region where distances are great and conditions are harsh. This is part of a much broader EU engagement in the Arctic, together with our Member States and partners such as Norway and Iceland. And this is one of the main reasons why I am coming to Nuuk for the Future Greenland conference.
Cooperation must be strengthened
How do you see Greenland's long-term strategic role within the EU's international partnerships? Are there any concrete plans or ideas?
– The direction is clear: the cooperation must become stronger, more long-term and built around our common priorities.
– Two years ago we opened an EU office in Nuuk, and I believe that the more intensive dialogue is yielding results. We will continue to invest in the cooperation with a focus on the common priorities: climate, energy supply and digital technologies.
– There is real reciprocity. Greenland wants a more diversified economy and Europe needs sustainable, robust value chains. This creates opportunities for both parties. We are talking both with the Government of Greenland and with businesses, local communities and with young people. And I will continue these conversations during my visit to Nuuk, says Jozef Síkela.
The article is sponsored by Greenland Business.
