Greenland and the European Union
Encyclopedia
Greenland
has a special relationship with the European Union
(EU) due to its link with EU state
Denmark
.
In 2009 the EU put in place an import ban on seal
fur on grounds on animal cruelty, but made exemptions for Inuit
communities in Greenland and Canada in order to protect their way of life. But it will only allow small scale hunts for population control and local circulation - produce would not be allowed to enter the EU. The ban angered those communities in the Arctic circle who depend on sales from large scale seal hunting
.
via association agreements. It is also within the EU's common external tariff but they may charge customs in a non-discriminatory manner. Greenlandic citizens have EU citizenship
. OCT nationals can be granted the right to vote for and participate in the election of the European Parliament, subject to the conditions defined by the related member states in compliance with Community law.
Up to 2006, all EU funds to Greenland (then €42.8 million per year) went via the EU - Greenland fishing agreement. Between 2007 and 2013, the EU is providing €25 million per year outside of finishing. It has been given aid since it pulled out of the EU (see below) in 1985 to roughly the same amount it was previously receiving in EU structural funds (which it lost the right to receive due to its secession). This amount to about 7% of Greenland's budget. The amount payed via the fishing agreement was in return for EU vessels fishing in Greenland's waters and to help restructure Greenland's fishing fleet. However this deal was struck down by the European Court of Auditors
who felt the amount the EU was paying was too much for the amount of fish caught.
with Denmark
in 1973. However, it left following a referendum
in 1985, with 53% voting for withdrawal. The referendum followed a dispute over fishing rights.
There has been some speculation as to whether Greenland may consider rejoining the European Union although this seems highly unlikely to occur any time soon. On 4 January 2007, the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten
quoted the former Danish minister for Greenland, Tom Høyem
, as saying "I would not be surprised if Greenland again becomes a member of the EU ... The EU needs the Arctic window and Greenland cannot alone manage the gigantic Arctic possibilities". The debate has been reignited in light of the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis.
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
has a special relationship with the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU) due to its link with EU state
Member State of the European Union
A member state of the European Union is a state that is party to treaties of the European Union and has thereby undertaken the privileges and obligations that EU membership entails. Unlike membership of an international organisation, being an EU member state places a country under binding laws in...
Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
Trade
In 2010, Greeland's exports to the EU amounted to €331 million (a 92.7% share of Greenland's total exports) and the Greenland imports from the EU were valued at €614 million (68.9% of all Greenland's imports). Exports to the EU were mainly food and live animals (89%). Imports from the EU included Mineral fuels, lubricants (& related), machinery and transport equipment (together 47%). The EU is Greenland's main trading partner. However, Greenland ranks as the EU's 103rd largest trading partner.In 2009 the EU put in place an import ban on seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
fur on grounds on animal cruelty, but made exemptions for Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
communities in Greenland and Canada in order to protect their way of life. But it will only allow small scale hunts for population control and local circulation - produce would not be allowed to enter the EU. The ban angered those communities in the Arctic circle who depend on sales from large scale seal hunting
Seal hunting
Seal hunting, or sealing, is the personal or commercial hunting of seals. The hunt is currently practiced in five countries: Canada, where most of the world's seal hunting takes place, Namibia, the Danish region of Greenland, Norway and Russia...
.
OCT status
Thanks to its link with Denmark, Greenland is listed as one of the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) of the EU. As a result of that, Greenland has some integration with the EU's internal marketInternal Market (European Union)
The European Union's Internal Market seeks to guarantee the free movement of goods, capital, services, and people – the EU's four freedoms – within the EU's 27 member states.The Internal Market is intended to be conducive to increased competition, increased specialisation, larger...
via association agreements. It is also within the EU's common external tariff but they may charge customs in a non-discriminatory manner. Greenlandic citizens have EU citizenship
Citizenship of the European Union
Citizenship of the European Union was introduced by the Maastricht Treaty . European citizenship is supplementary to national citizenship and affords rights such as the right to vote in European elections, the right to free movement and the right to consular protection from other EU states'...
. OCT nationals can be granted the right to vote for and participate in the election of the European Parliament, subject to the conditions defined by the related member states in compliance with Community law.
Up to 2006, all EU funds to Greenland (then €42.8 million per year) went via the EU - Greenland fishing agreement. Between 2007 and 2013, the EU is providing €25 million per year outside of finishing. It has been given aid since it pulled out of the EU (see below) in 1985 to roughly the same amount it was previously receiving in EU structural funds (which it lost the right to receive due to its secession). This amount to about 7% of Greenland's budget. The amount payed via the fishing agreement was in return for EU vessels fishing in Greenland's waters and to help restructure Greenland's fishing fleet. However this deal was struck down by the European Court of Auditors
European Court of Auditors
The Court of Auditors is the fifth institution of the European Union . It was established in 1975 in Luxembourg to audit the accounts of EU institutions...
who felt the amount the EU was paying was too much for the amount of fish caught.
Outside the EU
Greenland originally joined the then-European CommunitiesEuropean Communities
The European Communities were three international organisations that were governed by the same set of institutions...
with Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in 1973. However, it left following a referendum
Greenlandic European Economic Community membership referendum, 1982
The Greenlandic European Economic Community membership referendum, 1982 was a consultative referendum over whether Greenland should continue to be a member of the European Economic Community which took place on 23 February 1982....
in 1985, with 53% voting for withdrawal. The referendum followed a dispute over fishing rights.
There has been some speculation as to whether Greenland may consider rejoining the European Union although this seems highly unlikely to occur any time soon. On 4 January 2007, the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten
Jyllands-Posten
Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten , commonly shortened to Jyllands-Posten or JP, is a Danish daily broadsheet newspaper. It is based in Viby, a suburb of Århus, and with a weekday circulation of approximately 120,000 copies, it is among the largest-selling newspaper in Denmark...
quoted the former Danish minister for Greenland, Tom Høyem
Tom Høyem
Tom Høyem was born on 10 October 1941. Between September 1982 and September 1987, he served as Minister for Greenland within the Danish government under the premiership of Poul Schlüter...
, as saying "I would not be surprised if Greenland again becomes a member of the EU ... The EU needs the Arctic window and Greenland cannot alone manage the gigantic Arctic possibilities". The debate has been reignited in light of the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis.
See also
- Accession of Iceland to the European Union
- Enlargement of the European UnionEnlargement of the European UnionThe Enlargement of the European Union is the process of expanding the European Union through the accession of new member states. This process began with the Inner Six, who founded the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952...
- Greenland (European Parliament constituency)Greenland (European Parliament constituency)Prior to its secession from the European Community in 1985, Greenland was a constituency of the European Parliament for European elections.-1979:...
- Greenlandic European Economic Community membership referendum, 1982Greenlandic European Economic Community membership referendum, 1982The Greenlandic European Economic Community membership referendum, 1982 was a consultative referendum over whether Greenland should continue to be a member of the European Economic Community which took place on 23 February 1982....
- Norway – European Union relations