The European Commission has opened a call for evidence and public consultation to update the EU Arctic policy, inviting input from governments and stakeholders across the Arctic ecosystem. According to the Commission’s announcement, submissions are open until 16 March 2026 and will inform the forthcoming policy review (Commission news release). The process seeks to keep the policy fit for purpose amid rapid environmental and geopolitical shifts in the High North.
Consultation scope and timeline: climate, sustainability, security
Feedback is requested on key themes including climate change impacts, sustainable development, environmental protection, security, and international cooperation in the Arctic (Commission news release). The consultation and call for evidence run concurrently until 16 March 2026. Stakeholders can file contributions through the Commission’s online feedback platform (Have Your Say portal).
Stakeholders invited: from Member States to Indigenous communities
The Commission expects contributions from a broad constituency, including EU Member States, Indigenous and local communities, industry representatives, civil society organisations, and academia (Commission news release). For the maritime sector, inputs may cover shipping safety in ice conditions, port and coastal infrastructure resilience, fisheries management, marine environmental monitoring, and digital and physical connectivity across Arctic and sub‑Arctic regions.
Policy background: updating the 2021 Arctic framework
The review builds on the EU’s existing Arctic policy set out in the 2021 Joint Communication, which committed to a peaceful, sustainable and prosperous Arctic and framed EU actions on climate, research, connectivity and international cooperation (2021 Joint Communication on EU Arctic policy). The Commission states that feedback collected in this consultation will feed into the ongoing review process and shape any future actions under the updated policy (Commission news release).
