MEPs: the EU must support Greenland in the face of direct threats to its sovereignty

EU must continue its support for Greenland in tackling geostrategic challenges essential

More funding needed for Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs)

Local communities should be consulted on decisions related to critical raw materials

On Thursday Parliament adopted its position on the EU’s relationship with its overseas countries and territories, demanding investment, democratic oversight, and greater scrutiny.

The recommendations adopted by MEPs today relate to a 2025 proposal by the Commission to amend the EU Council’s decision on the EU-Association of the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), including Greenland (DOAG). Amending the decision is necessary to align the DOAG with the EU’s next long-term budget. Parliament adopted their position on the DOAG on Thursday 12 November with 460 votes in favour, 76 against and 81 abstentions. Parliament has the right to consultation on this file.

Sovereignty and self-reliance

The decision, originally adopted by the Council in 2021, covers 13 OCTs, of which Greenland is one. MEPs say the decision should, acknowledging increasing geopolitical competition, enhance existing ties with every OCT, acknowledging their geostrategic positions in the Caribbean, the Indo-Pacific, the Arctic, the Antarctic, and Oceania.

The EU should, MEPs argue, support Greenland in addressing its major challenges, including direct threats to its sovereignty, and the improvement of education and skills levels, economic diversification, trusted and reliable connectivity, infrastructure for sustainable tourism, climate change, and to contribute to the capacity of the administration of Greenland to formulate and implement national policies, while strengthening resilience, self-sufficiency and safeguarding its critical infrastructure.

Funding increase

In addition to facilitating the participation of OCTs in EU funding programmes – including on biodiversity, environmental protection, Horizon Europe, the European Competitiveness Fund, and Erasmus+ – MEPs want to approximately double the amount of funding proposed by the Commission for the 2028-234 budget cycle from €999 million to €2.084 billion (in current prices).

Democratic oversight

The DOAG should strengthen the role of civil society and local community groups – including those representing young people and indigenous communities – and promote their participation in activities and projects that fall under its remit. MEPs want to ensure the people whose lands, territories, resources, livelihoods or cultural heritage may be directly or indirectly impacted are engaged prior to investment decisions around mining, extraction and exportation of critical raw materials. Parliament should, MEPs argue, be fully represented in the OCTs-EU forum, which they say should be held annually. MEPs want Parliament to be informed of the discussions between the Commission, OCTs and member states on funding, critical infrastructure resilience, maritime security, and other issues, in the context of the DOAG.

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Speaking after the vote, rapporteur and Committee on Development Chair Barry Andrews (Renew, IE), said: “We are in a new era of geopolitics in which the EU’s Overseas Countries and Territories are more strategically important than ever. MEPs today are sending a clear message that our commitment to these partnerships must be backed by meaningful investment, stronger cooperation and the respect for international law.”

Background

The 13 OCTs are not sovereign countries but depend to varying degrees on the three member states with which they maintain special links Six of these are linked to France (French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Territories, New Caledonia, Saint Barthélemy, St. Pierre et Miquelon, Wallis et Futuna Islands), six to the Netherlands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten), and Greenland is constitutionally linked to Denmark. The OCTs have been associated with the EU since the entry into force in 1958 of the Treaty of Rome. The key aim is to promote the economic and social development of the OCTs and to establish close economic relations between them and the EU.

The OCTs have wide-ranging autonomy, covering areas such as economic affairs, employment market, public health, home affairs and customs, while defence and foreign affairs usually remain within the remit of the Member States. On 3 September 2025, the European Commission adopted the proposal for a Council Decision on the association of the OCTs with the EU, including relations between the EU on the one hand, and Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark on the other (DOAG). This proposal to amend the current Council Decision (EU) 2021/1764 is made in the context of the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework (MFF).