The European Union plans to update its concept on Arctic policy to include the rapid changes in the region and growing international interest, says a statement posted on the EU Council website.

"While recognising the primary responsibility of the Arctic states for the development of the region, the Council notes that many of the issues affecting the region are of a global nature and are more effectively addressed through regional or multilateral cooperation, in particular, the Arctic Council and including via the UN system," the message says.

The EU plans to "continue to make a significant contribution" at the regional and multilateral forums which deal with Arctic issues, in particular the Arctic Council, the Northern Dimension and cross-border cooperation programs in the region.

The document also notes that developments in the Arctic are progressing at a rapid pace. The EU should correlate its policies with the relevant developments, and take into account that "in light of the new challenges and opportunities across the Arctic and the growing international interest, the Council looks forward to an update of the EU Arctic policy."

As you may recall, the EU Arctic policy was most recently formulated in a 2016 document.