EU’s new Arctic strategy highlights research, observations and icebreaker capacity
The icebreaker Oden in the Arctic Ocean during the GEOEO 2024 expedition. Photo: Adam Andersson.
Research and observations are essential for tracking climate change in the Arctic and understanding its impacts. In its new Arctic strategy, the EU highlights the need to strengthen climate research, observation and monitoring. The strategy also stresses the importance of being able to operate in the Arctic and the need to strengthen European icebreaker capacity.
Similar priorities feature in Sweden’s recently published strategy for the Arctic, which highlights the importance of research and Sweden’s interest in securing access to the High Arctic by sea.
Countries already cooperate on Arctic resources. The EU also wants to explore how access to member states’ icebreakers can be coordinated to meet shared needs while national control is retained. This aligns well with the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat’s proposal for a Swedish research icebreaker with multiple uses.
– Our proposal builds further on the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat’s experiences from the Oden, where research and other activities from several countries share the vessel’s capacity. A Swedish research icebreaker with multiple uses could contribute to the European icebreaker capacity that the EU wants to strengthen. This would help ensure cost-effective use of the state’s investment while Sweden retains full control of the infrastructure, says Katarina Gårdfeldt, Director of the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat.
About the EU’s Arctic strategy
The EU presented the strategy on 20 October 2026. It sets out four priorities: security, climate, the economy and people.
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Security: strengthen preparedness, protect critical infrastructure and improve Europe’s ability to operate in the Arctic. The EU also aims to increase access to advanced icebreakers and promote resource sharing.
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Climate: strengthen climate research, observation and monitoring. The OceanEye initiative will collect and share ocean data with EU countries and partner countries, including Norway and Canada.
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The economy: support sustainable economic development, resilient infrastructure and improved connectivity in the Arctic.
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People: put Arctic communities and Indigenous Peoples at the centre, with a focus on areas including education, employment and social inclusion.
Read more: The EU’s Arctic strategy