Greenland and Self Governance Introduction to seminar on ”Research and development in and for the Arctic – Greenland” Head of Greenland Representation in Bruxelles Lida Skifte Lennert Kalaallit Nunaata Sinniisoqarfia Bruxelles-imi Greenland Representation in Bruxelles

2 Presentation 1.Information on Greenland 1.What is Greenland Self-Governance? 1.The Greenland Self-Governance Process 2.The Act on Greenland Self-Government 1.Greenland EU relations

Greenland and neighbours 3

Key facts and figures  Size: 2,166,088 km 2 (410,449 km 2 free of ice)  Greenland is the worlds largest Island – in the Arctic  Greenlanders are Inuits by nationality and also Danish Citizens  Population: 56,194 (Jan.2009)  Language: Kalaallisut & Danish  Climate: Arctic – cold winters and short summers - Arctic Circle and Aurora Borealis  Time difference from Bruxelles: 4 hours – 2 days travel from Brxl/Nuuk via Cph  Currency: Danish Kroner  Capital: Nuuk (West GL, population:16.000)  Home Rule Government from 1979 and Self Governance from 2009  (Prior to 1979 GL has status as a Danish County and prior to that a Colony of Denmark) 4

Greenland and the EU 5

6  Greenland is a self-governing country within the Kingdom of Denmark  The GL PM June 21st. 2009; “We are a small society and the successes we have achieved so far mean a lot to us. From this day forward we are recognised a people – we have been accepted on an equal footing with other nations. It has cost great suffering for many societies to achieve recognition, but our Self Governance has been earned through negotiation, mutual understanding and mutual respect.”  Greenland Parliament consists of 31 members and the Cabinet of 9 members  1985 Greenland withdraws from the European Union  The Greenland Protocol to the EU Treaty, states that as long as the EU has a satisfactory fisheries agreement fisheries products imported have preferential treatment  In terms of Greenlands status in the EU, Greenland is associated to the EU and is an isolated OCT in the Atlantic region Greenlands status – int.law

Cooperation in the Arctic Ocean  Ilulissat Declaration, May 2008 – signed by 5 Coastal States in the Arctic.  Commitments to Int. Law (UNCLOS) and orderly settlement of any possible overlapping claims  Close cooperation i.e. in collection of scientific data over the continental shelf  Declaration confirmed by Artic Oceans Foreign Ministers in Canada, March

Greenland Self Governance process  The Home Rule Act from 1979 annexed all areas of rights and responsibilities which could be transfered from Denmark to Greenland.  In 2006 the 2 Governments agreed to develop an extensive model of selfgovernance. ” as the Danish Government and the Greenlandic Home Rule Government wishes to secure the largest possible degree of equality between Greenland and Denmark, and to increase the Greenlandic people´s self-determination to the largest possible extend within the framework of the existing kingdom…”  5 common areas left; The Constitution, Foreign Affairs, Defence and security policy, The Supreme Court, Nationality & Exchange rates and monetary policy 8

Greenland EU relations  Greenland associated to the EU via part 4 in the EU Treaty, since 1985  Greenland withdrew from the EU in 1985 due to a national referendum of withdrawal in 1982 (53,9% yes 46,1% no) based on concerns over EU fisheries in Greenland waters  After 20 years of fisheries protocols the GL EU relations was ”modernised”  In 2007 the financial compensation and budgettary support to Greenland was split into a fisheries partnership agreeement and a budgettary support for the Greenland education sector  Greenland has access to EU programmes due to its OCT status  Greenland has duty free access to both fisheries products and other exports to the market  Greenland wishes a veterinary control agreement with the EU  Greenland wishes to become part of the Kimberley Process with the EU  Greenland is an active member of the OCT EU dialogue where development support to prioritised policy development areas are prepared & discussed  Greenlands EU relations will be renewed in 2012 and

Projects in developing extraction of fossil fuels, such as oil and natural gas in several places in the Arctic - both on land and in the sea (source: UNEP/GRID Arendal 2007) 10

Fisheries sector, our main export and production line until more research and development in and for the Arctic Greenland is done 11