Good afternoon. I would like to start by thanking you, dear Petteri, for taking the initiative to organise this first European Arctic summit. Being here in Rovaniemi, Lapland, and discussing the Arctic with colleagues, has reinforced my conviction about one thing: this region is of strategic importance, not just for Arctic countries, but for Europe as a whole. My first message is simple: what matters for the Arctic, matters for all the European Union’s member states. Looking at a map, the case for the European Union in the Arctic is clear. Three of our member states – Denmark, Finland, Sweden – are Arctic nations. What happens here is not a regional story, it is a European one. That means that Arctic security is European security. The priorities of the European Union’s Arctic strategy were set in 2021 – and they remain valid today: climate protection, sustainable development, peaceful cooperation. But when it comes to Arctic security, we need to adapt to the new geopolitical reality. Indeed, the Arctic is another victim of the weakening of the multilateral system. Sovereignty and the respect of territorial integrity can no longer be taken for granted, and fundamental concepts of international law, such as freedom of navigation, are challenged. And Russia, the largest Arctic nation, is one of the main drivers of this trend. The European Union is – and will remain – a reliable, long-term partner to all Arctic allies, European and non-European alike. I fully support the ambition of this summit to promote coordinated action. To build a ring of partners, from the Baltic, through the Arctic and the North Atlantic, to ensure a comprehensive, rules-based approach to the security and defence of the Arctic region. This new geopolitical reality will be reflected in the next long-term European budget – and in its increased investment in Europe’s security and defence, including in the Arctic region. Beyond the geopolitical and security dimension, we cannot lose sight of the major threat that climate change poses to the region, nor of the economic opportunities it offers for our strategic autonomy, in particular for critical raw materials. That is why the Commission and the European External Action Service are currently updating the European Union’s Arctic Strategy, to make sure it is fit for purpose in a new world of geoeconomic and environmental challenges. In a nutshell, the European Union is committed to contributing to a safe, peaceful, resilient and prosperous Arctic region, to the benefit – first of all – of the people living here. I want to thank Petteri again, dear Prime Minister, for this initiative. We look forward to continuing the work that has been started here today. And we will return to this issue in a future meeting of the European Council. Thank you very much.
 | Press serviceEuropean Parliament |
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The European Parliament spokesperson will hold a last-minute briefing on the 14 – 17 September plenary session today at 16.30. |
WHEN: Monday 14 September at 16.30
WHERE: Daphne Caruana Galizia press room and via Interactio
Key topics this week include:
| • | State of the European Union debate with Ursula von der Leyen |
| • | Debate and vote on strengthening resilience against foreign interference and other threats to European democracies |
| • | Address by Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada |
| • | Debate and vote on strengthening Europe’s defence readiness |
| • | Debate with Kaja Kallas on Russia’s hybrid attacks and vote on how to protect the EU’s territorial integrity, and critical security and defence infrastructure |
| • | Debate with Kaja Kallas on the escalation of conflict in the Middle East |
| • | Debate on the urgent need for EU support for Ukraine against Russia’s mounting war of aggression |
| • | Debate on this summer’s devastating heatwaves, wildfires and droughts in Europe and lessons learnt |
| • | Debate and vote on the instrumentalisation of migrants in Ceuta and the need for a coordinated response to protect the EU’s external borders |
| • | Vote on how to address the negative impact of social media on young people |
Interpretation of the press briefing will be available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Polish.
You can follow it live from 16.30 in Parliament’s Daphne Caruana Galizia press room or via Parliament’s webstreaming and EbS.
Information for the media - Use of Interactio to ask questions Journalists wishing to participate actively and ask questions, please connect via Interactio using this link: https://ep.interactio.eu/link/pressconfp1254698545582 Interactio is only supported on iPads (with the Safari browser) and Mac/Windows (with the Google Chrome browser). For more details, check the connection guidelines and recommendations for remote speakers. When connecting, enter your name and the media organisation you are representing in the first name / last name fields. For better sound quality, use headphones and a microphone. Interpretation is only possible for questions asked on video. Journalists who have never used Interactio before are asked to connect 30 minutes before the start of the press conference to perform a connection test. IT assistance can be provided if necessary. When connected, open the chat window (upper right corner) to be able to see the service messages.
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