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"Neither in the EU, nor part of the US"/ Nielsen speech at the European Parliament

2025-10-08 19:01:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

"Neither in the EU, nor part of the US"/ Nielsen speech at the

Jens-Frederik Nielsen

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Prime Minister of Greenland, stated in a speech to the European Parliament that his country will not become part of either the European Union or the United States of America.

"Right now Greenland has no plans to become a member of the European Union. We are working to enhance the partnership we already have with the EU and for this partnership to expand into many aspects, such as education, minerals and industry," Nielsen said.

Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with approximately 56,000 inhabitants, operating under a method of self-government, in force since 2009, based on a tradition of local government that began in 1979.

After a 1982 referendum, the North Atlantic territory left the European Economic Community organization in 1985. But since then, ties with the European Union have been strengthened and the EU even has its own office in the capital, Nook.

During his speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday, Nielsen touched on various areas of partnership, with particular emphasis on raw materials, as Greenland is home to 24 of the 34 most important minerals identified by the EU.

"In 2023, the EU and Greenland agreed on a strategic partnership on sustainable raw material value chains. But, given the current security situation in the world and the green transition, there is, however, a need to move faster. Greenland's most important minerals have the potential to change global and security balances. But action must be taken quickly," said Nielsen.

Fishing relations are also an important aspect for Greenland, as this is the most important industrial sector in the country.

Greenland agreed in 1985 to a system that allows EU vessels to fish in its waters in exchange for a financial contribution and duty-free access to the EU market for Greenlandic fishery products. The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement currently sets an annual quota for the fish that EU vessels can catch, as well as the amount the EU will pay in return.

But there are also some points that are controversial between Greenland and the EU. Nielsen hopes that Brussels will reconsider a general ban on placing seal products on its market, which he says has had severe negative impacts on seal hunting and led to a significant decline in the domestic supply, as well as in the export of seal skins.

"Seal hunting is an integral part of Inuit culture, with knowledge and skills passed down from generation to generation, it is the lifeblood of our culture and identity," he said.

Meanwhile, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola welcomed his speech, assuring Nielsen that for Greenland, the European Union will always be a long-term partner./CNA