European Parliament Report Calls for Overhaul of EU Arctic Policy After Iceland's 'No' Vote
A new report presented to the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs describes the EU's Arctic policy as five years out of date and lacking a permanent institutional home within the European Commission. The report, titled 'Focus on the High North: Upgrading the EU’s Arctic Policy and Protecting the EU’s Interests in a Rapidly Evolving Region,' argues that Iceland's recent rejection of EU membership talks should serve as a "wake-up call" for Brussels to re-evaluate its offerings to northern neighbors. Authored by Andreas Raspotnik, Adam Stępień, and Andreas Østhagen, the study highlights that the EU's 2021 Arctic policy no longer reflects current realities, particularly in light of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has shifted the focus to security, critical raw materials, and infrastructure protection. The report makes eight recommendations, including establishing a dedicated Arctic hub within the Commission and fostering a permanent partnership with non-EU Arctic states like Icela... 
