The Faroe Islands, EU, and the Arctic

Strategically located where the North Atlantic meets the Arctic, the Faroe Islands are one of Europe’s closest neighbours to the Arctic. The Faroe Islands governs a maritime area of 274,000 km2, with a continental shelf area of 301,000 km2, at the centre of one of the world’s most productive and sustainably managed fisheries regions.

Among the mainstays of the EU’s engagement in the Arctic is the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation which is among the EU’s most important tools to foster knowledge and development in the Arctic.

Faroese researchers are active in projects examining climate change, the ocean and marine resources, energy and IT, as well as social and demographic trends and health issues, all with direct relevance for enhancing our common understanding of the Arctic region. Some of these projects are: EduArctic, ArcticHubs, ARCSAR, INTERACT, ClimeFish, PrimeFish, Blue-Action and AtlantOS.

The Faroe Marine Research Institute is also a part of EUROFLEETS+ which will give access for EU researchers to use the facilities of the new Faroese state-of-the-art research vessel Jákup Sverri.

The input of the Faroese Government to the EU Arctic Policy can be seen here here.

The Arctic Policy of the European Union can be seen here.

Read more about the Faroe Islands and the Arctic here.

Picture: Arctic Centre, University of Lapland