Arctic environment on EU agenda
Representatives of 30 European countries today meet to discuss new European Union research initiatives in the Arctic. The conference comes just few days before the EU presents its new Arctic policy document.
The conference on how to beef up EU environmental research in the Arctic takes place in the Mediterranean principality of Monaco, AFP reports. The conference, unfolding under the chairmanship of current European Union president France, will gather countries of the 27-nation EU, as well as Norway, Iceland, Monaco and representatives from Greenland, EU officials say. In addition, the non-European members of the Arctic Council — Canada, Russia and the United States – as well as representatives of China, India, Japan and South Korea have been invited. The meeting is believed draw up an inventory of environment research in the Arctic and discuss creating a network of observational stations. It comes just few days before a EU policy paper on the Arctic is presented the Commission. It is expected that the public will see the paper on 18 November.
