The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced this Monday a package of investments of 200 million euros intended for Greenland, with the aim of strengthening cooperation with the island and reinforcing the presence of the European Union in the Arctic, in a context marked by the claims of the United States over this autonomous territory of Denmark.
This package, integrated into the 'Global Gateway' initiative to project the influence of the Twenty-Seven on a global scale, will be executed between this year and the next and will focus mainly on projects of digital connectivity, renewable energies, and critical raw materials. It also includes actions in areas such as housing and sustainable tourism.
"Greenland can count on the EU," emphasized Von der Leyen during her visit to Nuuk, where she defended that the new investments will create "new opportunities" and guarantee a European Union "strong and committed both in Greenland and in the Arctic." "Greenland is a strategic ally and a trusted friend," she remarked.
The head of the Community Executive also reiterated the total solidarity of the EU "with the Kingdom of Denmark and with the people of Greenland," insisting that "the future of Greenland must be decided by the people of Greenland and Denmark. No one else."
"Territorial integrity, sovereignty, inviolability of borders. These are fundamental principles of International Law, and we know that the Arctic has become one of the places where the tectonic plates of geopolitics collide. That is why we have a direct interest in what happens here, and that is why we are preparing a new EU strategy for the Arctic," she added.
Von der Leyen's visit to the Arctic island —where she met with the Greenlandic Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen— takes place after the U.S. President, Donald Trump, has claimed on several occasions control of Greenland citing national security reasons.
These aspirations from Washington have been rejected both by the authorities of Greenland and Denmark and by the European Union itself, which has reiterated on numerous occasions that it is only up to the Greenlandic citizens to decide the future of the island.
200 million for connectivity, energy, and raw materials
In detail, the 200 million announced by Brussels will be used to finance projects for digital connectivity, sustainable raw materials, and clean energy, in addition to preparing new initiatives in sectors such as tourism and housing. The Commission and the Greenlandic Government have already agreed on a first list of projects, while analyzing new investments from this package, according to the community Executive in a statement.
Regarding connectivity, the EU will support the expansion of Greenland's satellite capacity through European providers over the next five years, in order to improve the "speed, reliability, and resilience" of communications, especially in the most isolated communities. Brussels will also fund studies to assess the "feasibility" of establishing data centers on the island.
In the field of strategic resources, part of the funds will be directed to promote sustainable mining projects linked to the European industry, through technical analyses and attracting investors, with the goal of building "more integrated and resilient" value chains. The Commission cites graphite and molybdenum projects as examples of the potential of this collaboration and its contribution to strengthening "supply security."
The package will also support a program from the Greenlandic energy company Nukissiorfiit to "modernize and decarbonize" the electricity supply in remote locations through hybrid renewable energy systems, with the aim of improving the "reliability" of the service and expanding the use of clean energy.
The remaining resources will be allocated to prepare new programs, mainly in sustainable tourism and housing. Tourism is considered one of the "most immediate and promising" opportunities to diversify the economy, boost the private sector, and generate employment in Greenland, while housing is seen as an "essential" factor to renew an aging real estate stock and support sustainable growth.
New framework of relations with Greenland
In addition to the investment package, Von der Leyen has signed a new joint declaration with Nielsen and Frederiksen that updates the framework of relations between the EU, Greenland, and Denmark, with the intention of strengthening the common investment agenda, political dialogue, and exchanges between their citizens.
The document, which replaces the one agreed in 2015, recognizes the growing "strategic importance" of Greenland and expands cooperation to sectors such as infrastructure, clean energy production, digital connectivity, or sustainable raw materials, alongside traditional areas such as education, fishing, the environment, and the fight against climate change.
This strengthening of ties comes after the Commission has proposed to significantly increase financial support to Greenland for the coming years. Specifically, Brussels proposes to allocate 530 million euros for the island in the community budget from 2028 to 2034, more than double the 225 million assigned in the current financial framework 2021-2027.