Leaders from the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Denmark are convening in the Faroe Islands for a two-day summit centered on the increasing autonomy of the Faroe Islands. The primary focus of the meeting is the Faroese desire for greater control over foreign affairs.
The Faroe Islands are pushing for the authority to independently negotiate matters ranging from fishing rights to participation in international organizations, without Danish oversight. This is viewed as a determined push from the Faroese side.
A central sticking point is the Danish constitution. The Faroe Islands contend that Denmark has historically used the constitution as justification for denying changes, masking a lack of political will to grant greater autonomy.
Ulrik Pram Gad, a senior researcher at DIIS, emphasized that the Faroe Islands are presenting specific demands, putting the onus on Denmark to facilitate the requested changes. This meeting is particularly important as the specificity of the Faroese demands requires Denmark to address them in order to maintain the current structure of the Kingdom.
A key question is whether the Danish constitution can be interpreted in a way that accommodates the aspirations of both the Faroese and Greenlanders. Section 19 of the constitution, which stipulates that the Danish government represents the “kingdom” in international affairs, appears to impede these aspirations.
Earlier this year, Denmark and the Faroe Islands agreed to seek counsel from a dispute resolution board regarding the Faroese ambition to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). This board will comprise representatives from both Denmark and the Faroe Islands, along with three Supreme Court judges who will assess the constitutional implications.
Gad suggests that this discussion could potentially pave the way for a new framework governing the relationship between the three countries. This new model might position Greenland and the Faroe Islands outside the scope of the constitution while maintaining binding ties with Denmark in several key areas.