politics
EU Should Establish Arctic Monitoring Unit, Says Researchers
In the face of hybrid threats, the EU should set up an Arctic unit that gathers satellite imagery, maritime traffic data and intelligence from partners. This is proposed by researchers in a new report to the European Parliament.
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This autumn, the European Commission will present an updated EU Arctic strategy.
In a new report commissioned by the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, researchers put forward several recommendations on how the Union’s Arctic policy can be strengthened.
Among the proposed measures is the establishment of an EU Arctic monitoring and fusion cell that combines satellite imagery, maritime traffic data (AIS data), signals intelligence and intelligence from partners.
“Much of the information already exists, but it is scattered. The EU needs one place that can see the full picture, identify threats earlier and issue warnings quickly”, says Andreas Raspotnik, Director of the High North Center at Nord University.
Together with the report’s co-authors, Raspotnik points out that the hybrid threat landscape in Arctic waters has been intensified since 2014 by various Russia-linked activities. Examples include fibre‑optic cable disruptions, suspicious research‑vessel movements and covert equipment aboard civilian ships.
In response to Russian hybrid activity, the EU should also fund rapid response teams that can be deployed in connection with, among other things, damage to subsea infrastructure and cyberattacks, the researchers propose.
A number of recommendations
The report evaluates the EU’s 2021 Arctic policy and identifies new priority areas for the EU in an Arctic transformed by climate change and increasing geopolitical competition.
Moreover, the researchers offer a total of eight key recommendations, including the aforementioned ones relating to maritime security and hybrid threats:
Establish a permanent Arctic knowledge hub within the European Commission to carry out impact assessments of EU policies affecting the Arctic. This would ensure an Arctic perspective in policymaking in areas such as space, energy and trade.
Develop a new northern framework to fill the gap left by the discontinuation of the Northern Dimension cooperation platform in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The researchers propose establishing a permanent institutional structure for cooperation with Norway, Iceland and Greenland, as well as potentially Canada and the UK. Priority action areas should include critical raw materials, maritime security, energy transition, civil protection, connectivity and community resilience.
Anchor the Arctic in the new European security strategy. The strategy should designate the Arctic as a priority region, frame Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Canada as priority partners, and align the EU and NATO strategic signalling.
Andøya Spaceport and the Ofoten Line–Iron Ore Line
Address the Arctic-space regulatory gap: Amend the EU Space Act and the IRIS² Secure Connectivity Regulation to recognise Andøya Spaceport as an eligible launch site. At present, launches from EEA countries such as Norway are permitted only in duly justified exceptional cases. The EU should also co-fund the European Space Agency's planned Arctic space centre in Tromsø, Northern Norway.
Stimulate flagship projects across Finland, Norway and Sweden of strategic, economic and local importance: The Fennoscandian shield holds critical raw materials vital to the green transition and strategic autonomy. Specifically, the EU should i.a. stimulate the development of the Kiruna–Narvik supply corridor: fund and accelerate upgrades to railways (the Ofoten Line–Iron Ore Line), ports and multimodal logistics to strengthen the connection between the mines in Kiruna and the port of Narvik for year-round ore transport and critical minerals supply.
Climate and science diplomacy
Rethink climate change action as part of the EU's Arctic policy: The EU – which accounts for less than six per cent of global emissions – has limited direct impact on Arctic climate trajectories. EU policymakers should consider whether general climate action should remain a formal pillar of Arctic policy and focus instead on tractable Arctic-relevant measures: reducing black carbon, supporting climate adaptation, monitoring permafrost and legislation on long-range pollutants.
Strengthen Arctic science diplomacy: Science diplomacy is the EU's most consistently recognised Arctic contribution and should be clearly supported in the Union's long-term budget for 2028–2034. Support should deliver concrete results, prioritising the fifth International Polar Year in 2032–2033, the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance and filling gaps resulting from limited scientific cooperation with Russia, China and the United States.
The report was authored by Raspotnik; Adam Stępień, Researcher at Nord University and the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland; and Andreas Østhagen, Research Director Arctic and Ocean Politics at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute.
The full report can be read here.
