The European union has a very important role for the security, connectivity and the sustainable development of the Arctic region. This was the key message of the EU Arctic Forum held in the northern Swedish city of Umeå on October 3-4, 2019.

More than 600 international delegates, representing 30 countries, took part in the Forum, which gave an up-to-date perspective to the opportunities and challenges in the Arctic of all relevant stakeholders – the governments of the participating countries, representatives of international financial institutions, non-governmental and environmental organizations, academia and the indigenous Arctic people.

The EU Arctic Forum was opened by Her Royal Highness Crown princess Victoria. The ministerial panel gathered the foreign ministers of the Nordic countries, together with their colleagues from India, Latvia and Malta. Bulgaria was represented by the ambassador in Stockholm Ivan Pavlov.