The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) adopted yesterday a report by Law and Justice MEP Anna Fotyga entitled 'The Arctic: Security Opportunities, Concerns and Challenges'.

“I welcome the process of updating the EU’s Arctic strategy, which must reflect the new security realities in the region, rising geopolitical tensions and new players such as China,” rapporteur Fotyga says.

As Anna Fotyga points out, Putin sees Russia’s strengthened presence in the Arctic as a central element in its legacy: “Consequently, Moscow looks at the Arctic in the long term, striving to impose a series of legal, economic and military facts. In this way, it introduces global tensions to a region that we want to preserve as an area of friendly and fruitful cooperation.”

Fotyga notes that rare earth minerals are crucial to further developing new technologies – both green and military. Therefore, in Fotyga’s view, Europe must reduce its dependence on China for these minerals, and the Arctic should play a central role in the European Raw Materials Alliance: “That is why we call for greater visibility of Europe in the region, greater coordination at the EU level, as well as cooperation with partners committed to respecting international law, developing peaceful cooperation and guaranteeing freedom of navigation”, the Polish MEP said.

The Foreign Affairs Committee adopted the report by 52 votes to 6 against.