The European Commission has committed an investment incentive of €200m ($232.2m) to support foreign direct investment (FDI) in Greenland in 2026 and 2027.
The Global Gateway Partnership Package accompanies a new Joint Declaration on relations between the European Union (EU), Greenland and Denmark.
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The declaration spans education and training, infrastructure, and sustainable raw materials.
It also covers clean energy, digital connectivity, sustainable tourism, housing, research and innovation, civil protection, resilience and security, fisheries, and environment and climate action.
As part of the package, the EU is working with Greenlandic telecoms operator Tusass on an enhanced satellite connectivity project to increase satellite capacity across the territory through European providers over a five-year period.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced the package while visiting Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, saying: “Greenland can count on the EU. That was my message during my last visit. Today, I am back to deliver the real results of our close cooperation. With a new EU-Greenland Partnership package, worth €200m.”
The Commission is also supporting feasibility studies on whether data centres could be commercially viable in Greenland as energy and digital infrastructure develop.
In raw materials, the EU and Greenland intend to move forward with sustainable mining projects connected to European industry, with backing through technical analysis and investor matchmaking.
The plans build on investments including the Malmbjerg mining project.
GreenRoc’s Amitsoq graphite project, which has been designated an EU Strategic Project under the Critical Raw Materials Act, was named as an example of integrated EU-Greenland value chains.
In the energy sector, the EU will support a programme led by national utility Nukissiorfiit to modernise and decarbonise energy supply to remote settlements through hybrid renewable systems.
The two parties are also assessing support for an expansion of the Buksefjord hydropower plant to meet increasing electricity demand in Nuuk.
The Commission will assist Greenland’s government in setting up a Programme Management Unit to reinforce institutional capacity for delivering EU-backed programmes.
Remaining funding will be directed to preparatory work on tourism and housing schemes intended to diversify the economy and tackle ageing housing stock.
Greenland is the largest per capita recipient of EU support among the overseas countries and territories.
The EU has earmarked €225m for 2021-2027, with 90% allocated to education and 10% to green growth.
For the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, the Commission has put forward €530m for Greenland, which is more than double the current amount.
The relationship is also underpinned by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement, through which the EU contributes €17.3m each year, including €3.2m for Greenland’s national sustainable fisheries strategy.
Greenland also continues to qualify for EU programmes including Horizon Europe, the Connecting Europe Facility, Erasmus+, Creative Europe and InvestEU.
