Arctic Cooperation, fisheries at Center of Commissioner's Visit to Greenland

Against this background, Commissioner Maria Damanaki visited Greenland between 7 and 9 June, 2012.

During her visit, Commissioner Damanaki discussed with the Premier Minister Mr Kuupik Kleist and the Minister for Fisheries and Hunting Ane Hansen EU-Greenland cooperation and agreements regarding the protection of Greenland's environment so that it goes hand in hand with the diversification of its economy.

Stronger cooperation between the two parties would allow for the EU to deepen the partnership regarding the Arctic region, to support research, boost economic development and combat global warming in the most effective way. Close co-operation in fisheries has recently been underlined through the successful completion of negotiations for a new Fisheries Protocol that will enter into force next year. This agreement is to the mutual advantage of both the EU and Greenland.

Commissioner Damanaki also visited the Royal Greenlands processing plant in Ilulissat and she had a boat tour with an inspection ship on Disko Bay, where an ice fjord is enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In Nuuk, she had a meeting with Greenland Fisheries and Licence Control organization. Ms Damanaki visited the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, which issues the biological advice on fish and sea mammals and she had a meeting with Inuit Circumpolar Conference on how climate change influences the challenges and possibilities for Inuit Communities in the Arctic.