EU Promoting Strategic Mining Projects on Sámi Lands: A Devastating Betrayal of Indigenous Rights and Sápmi’s Future

Photo: Saami Council

The European Commission’s recent decision to approve the mining projects Talga Graphite in Nunasvaara, LKAB ReeMap in Malmberget, and LKAB Per Geijer in Kiruna under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act has sparked alarm among the Sámi people. All of the projects are located on Sámi ancestral lands, and threaten the environment, and the Sámi culture and way of life.

President of the Saami Council, Per-Olof Nutti. Photo: Saami Council/Piera Heaika Muotka

The approval of these mining projects, classified as "Strategic Projects," directly undermines the rights of the Sámi people. By fast-tracking these mining projects with an expedited 27-month permitting process, the EU prioritizes resource extraction over our fundamental rights to free, prior, and informed consent. This decision risks bypassing essential environmental safeguards and further marginalizing Sámi communities.

“The EU is promoting the exploitation of minerals that contribute to human rights abuses  within the EU” Per-Olof Nutti, President of the Saami Council states. “This is a direct violation of our rights as the only recognized Indigenous People within the EU. It is an attack on our culture, our land, and our future.”

The Sámi people have always been the stewards of our lands, relying on the health of our ecosystems for our traditional livelihoods. The expansion of mining in Sápmi threatens the delicate balance of these ecosystems and the cultural practices that have existed for millennia. Our communities already face the impacts of climate change, and the further degradation of our lands through industrial mining is an additional burden that we should not bear.

Moreover, the power imbalance between Sámi communities and the corporations driving these mining projects exacerbates the challenges we face. The Sámi lack the necessary resources to effectively challenge these projects. Without the financial means or human capacity, our ability to protect our rights and our lands is severely limited, leaving us vulnerable to exploitation by mining companies and governments. 

“The EU, which has long prided itself on being a champion of human rights, must uphold its commitment to protecting Indigenous Peoples' rights, especially within its own borders. This expectation has been undermined by the EU’s support for projects that threaten the Sámi way of life” Per-Olof Nutti, President of the Saami Council states.

The Sámi Council stands in solidarity with all of the Sámi communities facing land encroachment threats. We urge the EU to re-evaluate their strategic project status and engage in genuine consultations with the Sámi people, ensuring free, prior, and informed consent.