Finland will withdraw from the Barents Euro-Arctic Council after 2025 but will continue cooperation in the northern regions through other channels.
Changes in the European security situation and the international environment have affected regional cooperation in the north.
As a result of the withdrawal from the Council, Finland will also withdraw from the Agreement on the Establishment of the International Barents Secretariat.
Established in 1993, the Barents Euro-Arctic Council is a regional intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote stability and sustainable development in the Barents Region. Its members included Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the European Commission.
In September 2023, Russia announced its withdrawal from the Council.