FIRST ARCTIC DIALOGUE WORKSHOP, Brussels, 9 March 2010 (Source: European Commission. Read the full text here)
The European Commission adopted the Communication on the "EU and the Arctic Region" (COM (2008) 763) on 20 November 2008. This document which forms the first layer of an EU Arctic policy puts a strong emphasis on the role and involvement of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic. Specifically, the European Commission commits itself to "Engage Arctic indigenous peoples in a regular dialogue". The Council in its Conclusions on Arctic Issues of 8 December 2009 has also underlined the importance of supporting sustainable development for indigenous peoples and welcomed the Commission proposal to engage in a broad dialogue with Arctic indigenous peoples on the basis of respect for their rights. With reference thereto, the European Commission organised an 'Arctic Dialogue' workshop on 9 March 2010 at the Berlaymont Building in Brussels that aimed to gather a representative sample of indigenous stakeholders in the Arctic. The goal of the workshop was to establish a constructive dialogue on areas and means of cooperation between the Commission and Arctic indigenous peoples.
There were no definitive conclusions as to the format of the future dialogue. However, the participants put forward several ideas:
As regards the content of such a dialogue, among the various items suggested for further discussion were the following:
It was generally concluded that the meeting was a useful attempt at exploring the options for future dialogue between the European Commission with the Arctic indigenous peoples. The objectives and working arrangements of the cooperation will require further reflection and discussion.
+ Participants
External Participants |
Organisation |
Terry Fenge Senior Policy Adviser |
Arctic Athabaskan Council- Canada |
Joseph Linklater Chair |
Gwich'in Council International - Canada |
Bridget Larocque Executive Director |
Gwich'in Council International - Canada |
Aqqaluk Lynge President |
Inuit Circumpolar Council - Greenland |
Chester Reimer Senior Adviser |
Inuit Circumpolar Council |
Rodion Sulyandziga Director |
Russian Association of Indigenous peoples of the North (RAIPON) |
Erik Gant Acting Executive Secretary |
Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat |
Bjarne Store-Jakobsen Chair |
BEAC Joint Working Group on indigenous peoples, Norway |
Mikhail Pogodaev Executive Chair |
Association of World Reindeer Herders |
Anders Oskal Director |
International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry, Norway |
Frank Sejersen |
International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, Denmark |
Johannes Rohr Russia Coordinator |
International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, Denmark |
Christina Henriksen Adviser |
The Norwegian Barents Secretariat |
Giles Norman Director |
Canadian International Centre for the Arctic Region |
Ole Samsing Senior Adviser |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Denmark |
Helena Odmark Ambassador |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Sweden |
Anton Vasiliev Ambassador at Large |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Russia |
Margaret Caton First Secretary (Environment & Transport) |
US Mission to the EU, Brussels |
Stefan Mikaelsson President |
Sami Parliament's General Assembly, Sweden |
Inuuteq Holm Olsen Deputy Minister |
Greenland Self-Governance |
Lida Skifte Lennert Head of Representation/Minister Counsellor |
Greenland Representation |
Nauja Bianco Project Leader |
Nordic Council of Ministers |
Anna Gran Adviser |
Nordic Council of Ministers |
Sergey Kudryavtsev Adviser |
Permanent Mission of the Federation of Russia to the European Union |
Stewart Arnold Adviser |
Office of Diana Wallis MEP, European Parliament |
Steffen Weber Head of Office |
Office of B. Schnieber Jastram MEP, European Parliament |
Lotta Numminen |
Finnish Institute of International Affairs |
Commission Participants |
Directorate-General |
Eddy Hartog
|
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries |
Zuzanna Bieniuk
|
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries |
Thomas Dux |
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries |
Fernando Garces |
External Relations |
Petteri Vuorimaki |
External Relations |
Alexis Loeber |
External Relations |
Davide Zaru |
External Relations |
Paula Hokkanen |
Europe Aid |
Jaime Reynolds |
Environment |
Dorothée Convens-Billerbeck |
Environment |
Niels Kristensen |
Development |
Josep Casanovas |
Transport and Energy |
Nadia Bergamino |
Research |
SECOND ARCTIC DIALOGUE, Tromsø, 25 January 2011 (Source: European Commission. Read the full text here)
On 25 January 2011 in Tromsø the Commission in cooperation with Indigenous Peoples Secretariat of the Arctic Council organised a short meeting to discuss points of common interest between the EU and the indigenous stakeholders in the Arctic. The event was attended by high-level representatives of four of the six Arctic indigenous peoples organisations that are Permanent Participants in the Arctic Council (Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Inuit Circumpolar Council, Saami Council and
Gwich'in Council International) as well as the officials from Canadian government, European Parliament and the Finnish Senior Arctic Official, Ambassador Hannu Halinen. The frank exchange focused on improvement of communication channels and enhanced representation of Arctic indigenous interest in EU policy-making and was complemented by presentations of several recent EU projects and programmes relevant for the Arctic stakeholders.
+ Participants
Participants |
Organisation |
Bridget Larocque Executive Director |
Gwich'in Council International - Canada |
Carl Olsen |
Inuit Circumpolar Council - Greenland |
James Stotts President |
Inuit Circumpolar Council - Alaska |
Rodion Sulyandziga Director |
Russian Association of Indigenous peoples of the North (RAIPON) |
Gunn-Britt Retter |
Saami Council Saami Parliament, Norway |
Geir Tommy Pedersen |
Sami Council |
Erik Gant Acting Executive Secretary |
Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat |
Anders Oskal Director |
International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry, Norway |
Nikolaj Bock Special Advisor on International Affairs |
European Environment Agency |
Keltie Patterson Deputy Director |
Circumpolar and Aboriginal Affairs Division (MDA), Canadian Ministry Foreign Affairs and International Trade |
Shannon Headland |
Canadian Ministry Foreign Affairs and International Trade |
Emily McGlynn Project officer |
Ecologic Institute |
Paul Nemitz Head of Unit |
European Commission |
Zuzanna Bieniuk Policy Officer |
European Commission |
Steffen Webber |
European Parliament |
Hannu Halinen Ambassador |
Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
ARCTIC INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DIALOGUE, Brussels 18 October 2013
The third meeting, “Arctic Indigenous Peoples Dialogue”, was held in Brussels on Friday 18th October 2013. On this occasion, Commissioner Damanaki delivered an opening speech on the importance of a dialogue between the EU and the representatives if Arctic indigenous people as the changes in the Arctic are a great concerns to the two parties, but first and foremost to the indigenous people (read the Speech at the Arctic Indigenous Peoples Dialogue here) .
The first session (11.00-13.00) has addressed “CURRENT EU ACTIONS IN THE ARCTIC”, describing EU s policies affecting the Arctic and introducing several projects financed by the EU and aimed at developing a better understanding of the Arctic and its Indigenous Peoples.
During the second session (14.30-16.00) the indigenous peoples had the chance to discuss issues of their choice. Some of the topics proposed were the following:
(read more here.)
+ Program
8:30 – 9:00 |
REGISTRATION |
|
9:00 -10:30 |
OPENING AND INTRODUCTORY STATEMENTS |
Welcome by Commissioner Maria Damanaki Opening statements by Indigenous Peoples - Presentation by Stephanie Meakin, Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada - Presentation by Galina Platova, Yasavey The EU and the Arctic: an historical perspective,Maarten Loonen, Member of the Arctic Centre in Groningen Chaired by Bernhard Friess, Director in DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission |
10:30 – 11:00 |
COFFEE BREAK |
|
11:00 – 13:00 |
SESSION 1: CURRENT EU ACTIONS IN THE ARCTIC |
|
11:00 – 11:15 |
Study on Arctic Lay and Traditional Knowledge,Alessandro Pititto, COGEA Q&A |
|
11:15 – 11:45 |
Short introduction of the EU's research policy,Franz Immler, Research Policy Officer, Climate change and natural hazard, DG Research and Development ARCRISK project, Janet Pawlak, AMAP Secretariat InterAct project, Christer Jonasson, Uppsala University Q&A |
|
11:45 – 12:30 |
Short introduction of the EU's regional policy,Joanna Kiryllo, Programme Manager, DG Regional Development Indigee-Indigenous Entrepreneurship Project,Lars Miguel Utsi, Project leader Northern Periphery Programme, Ole Damsgaard, Head of the Joint Technical Secretariat of the Northern Periphery Programme Q&A |
|
12:30 – 12:45 |
Short introduction of the EU's external aid programmes, Bodil Persson, Deputy Head of Unit in DG Development and Cooperation Neda Ordym Project, Liisa Holmberg, rector of the Sámi Education Institute Q&A |
|
12:45 – 13:00 |
Preparatory Action for an Arctic Environmental Impact Assessment, Liisa Holmberg, rector of the Sámi Education Institute, and Outi Paadar, project manager Q&A |
|
13:00 - 14:30 |
LUNCH |
|
14:30 – 16:00 |
SESSION 2: IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING KEY CHALLENGES OF THE ARCTIC COMMUNITIES In this session the indigenous peoples will have the chance to discuss issues of their choice. Some topics for discussion might be the following: - Presentation by Parnuna Egede, Inuit Circumpolar Council Greenland Q&A |
|
16:00 – 16:30 |
COFFEE BREAK |
|
16:30 – 17:00 |
SESSION 2 (TO CONTINUE) |
|
17:00 – 17:30 |
SESSION 3: WHAT NEXT? Conclusions by Indigenous Peoples Closing remarks by Bernhard Friess |
Hosted and Designed by the Arctic Portal