Arctic Circle (organization) only eight countries with a speaking role: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. The establishment of the Arctic Circle has raised concerns that the organization may give countries such as China, India, and Singapore a greater voice in Arctic affairs. The Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail called it "a move that seems certain to irk some northern nations" and added that it "will be seen as complicating, if not challenging, the primacy of the Arctic Council in the rapidly changing north." "The question," wrote environmental journalist Irene Quaile, "is which forum will turn out
Arctic policy of the European Union challenge of safeguarding the environment while ensuring the sustainable development of the Arctic region. The Commission and High Representative are proposing to focus further development of the EU's policy towards the Arctic on three key areas: In May 2013, Canada blocked the EU entry as an observer on the Arctic Council. Arctic policy of the European Union If the accession of Iceland to the European Union occurs, the EU will increase its Arctic influence and possibly gain permanent observer status in the Arctic Council. The Northern Dimension of European Union policy, established in the late 1990s, intended to deal with