- Barents raw materials are world class

Minister of Foreign Affairs in Sweden, Carl Bildt. (Photo: Thomas Nilsen)

The Barents Region is immensely rich on raw materials. However, there is high need for investments in infrastructure and technology in the region for better global integration of the industry, said Carl Bildt in a Brussel seminar this week.

The seminar on better use of raw materials in the Barents Region, was hosted by the Swedish Chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council and brought together high level representatives, politicians and experts from all over Europe. The EU Commissionis is focusing on securing supplies of raw materials for Europe, in an increasingly competitive global market. Vice president of the EU commission Antonio Tajani proposed a closer cooperation between the commission and the Barents region.

Creating the conditions for sustainable increased extraction of minerals and metals, was at the very core of the seminar discussion. In the league of its own is of course the Swedish mine LKAB producing more than 90 percent of the iron ore in Europe. Lars-Eric Aaro, President and CEO of LKAB, spoke on combining mining with high environmental standards and social responsibility and underlined the need to secure the future supply to Europe through further investments in infrastructure and technology.

Erik Lahnstein, State Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed the need for stronger regional integration and stimulation of inovations, and that it is the ambition of Norway to take these issues forward in the upcoming Norwegian Chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council. The Chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council will rotate from Sweden to Norway at a Session of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Barents countries, in the LKAB mine, Kiruna, Sweden, in October, 2011.

Seminar discussions on better use of raw materials in the Barents Region. (Photo: Anna Lund,www.beac.st)