Finnish Samis urge stronger voice in EU decision-making

The Star

7 hours ago

HELSINKI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Representatives of the Finnish Sami community called for stronger Indigenous participation in European Union (EU) policymaking at the EU Arctic Forum held Friday in Kittila, northern Finland. Tuomas Aslak Juuso, vice president of the Sami Parliament in Finland, emphasized that EU policies significantly influence the daily lives of the Samis - from climate adaptation to cross-border trade - yet the Sami people currently lack a direct mechanism to shape those policies.
He noted that while the EU formally recognized the special status of the Samis in Finland's EU accession treaty, a legal foundation that protects Indigenous rights such as reindeer herding, recent initiatives like the European Green Deal have frequently failed to reflect the needs of Indigenous communities.
The Samis have long advocated for permanent parliamentary representation in Brussels and a formal partnership between the Sami Parliamentary Council (SPC) and the European Parliament. However, Juuso pointed out that the EU still lacks an internal policy on Indigenous peoples.
He further urged the creation of dedicated EU funding mechanisms to support Sami adaptation and strengthen community resilience. Such funds, he argued, should directly address the impacts of climate change on traditional livelihoods like reindeer herding, fishing, and handicrafts.
Also speaking at the forum, former Finnish President Tarja Halonen highlighted the importance of protecting Indigenous rights and ensuring their active role in shaping EU policies.
"The cultural heritage and knowledge of Indigenous peoples are essential to the resilience of ecosystems - both in the Arctic and globally," Halonen said.
She warned that despite contributing the least to environmental degradation, Indigenous communities are disproportionately affected by climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss, particularly in the rapidly warming Arctic region.
The Samis are the only recognized Indigenous people within the EU, with their traditional homeland spanning the northern regions of Finland, Norway, Sweden, and parts of Russia.
The EU Arctic Forum runs from June 26 to 27, with side events scheduled on June 25 and 28.