On 22 September 2026, the United States, the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland signed a security agreement at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The agreement recognizes and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom while establishing a framework for expanded US security engagement in the Arctic. Greenland remains under the military shield of the United States, and it is expected that the United States will increase its military presence with two military bases in Greenland. The agreement also introduces new rules on foreign investment in Greenland – raising important questions about who can invest, in which sectors and on what terms.
Under Article X of the agreement, states or investors from states that are not NATO members, NATO partners or EU member states may not have (i) control, (ii) significant influence, or (iii) access to non-public information that may pose a threat to national security or public order within “Particularly Sensitive Sectors or Activities” in Greenland – defined to include, but not limited to, critical infrastructure and resource extraction. An exception applies where the parties jointly agree that the activities in question do not constitute a threat to national security or public order. This mechanism is to be administered by Greenland in close cooperation with the authorities of the Kingdom of Denmark, with close consultation with relevant United States authorities and other partners.
For European and allied investors, the position is clear: the agreement does not restrict their activities. EU and Danish investment programmes can proceed without constraint under Article X, and Greenland remains fully accessible for commercial engagement from NATO and EU countries.
The practical implementation of Article X will depend on Greenland’s domestic legislation.
The agreement expressly contemplates that the screening will be carried out by Greenland through its “current or future investment screening laws”, in close cooperation with Danish and US authorities.
Greenland currently has no FDI screening regime in place, though a legislative proposal has been under consideration and since withdrawn in Spring 2026. The agreement is likely to accelerate the process of establishing a Greenlandic FDI regime – and the final shape of this legislation will be important to follow, as it may apply more broadly than the restrictions in Article X itself.
For investors with complex ownership structures or links to third countries outside NATO and the EU, careful analysis of both the agreement and the forthcoming Greenlandic legislation will be essential to ensure compliance and to structure investments appropriately.
The agreement must be ratified through parliamentary procedures in both Greenland (Inatsisartut) and Denmark (Folketinget) before it becomes binding under international law. We will monitor the ratification proceedings and issue further guidance as the legislative timeline becomes clearer.
In parallel with the security negotiations, both the European Union and Denmark have significantly intensified their engagement in Greenland. On 7 September 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Nuuk and announced a €200 million Global Gateway Partnership Package for 2026-2027, accompanied by a new Joint Declaration between the EU, Denmark and Greenland. Denmark has separately committed substantial funding for both civilian infrastructure and Arctic defence capabilities.
Key sectors and opportunities:
Denmark has also substantially increased its commitment to Greenland across both civilian and defence sectors.
For companies exploring these investment opportunities, Gorrissen Federspiel can assist with navigating the EU and Danish funding landscape, structuring investments to qualify for relevant programmes, and advising on the regulatory requirements associated with each sector.
The new geopolitical framework makes investment safeguarding more important than ever. We advise companies to:
The security agreement confirms that Greenland remains fully open for European and allied investment. At the same time, it comes at a time of unprecedented commitment to Greenland’s development: the EU has committed €200 million for 2026-2027 with a further €530 million proposed for 2028-2034, and Denmark has committed approximately €5.7 billion to civilian infrastructure and Arctic defence. The commercial opportunities are substantial – and for companies looking to capitalise on them, getting the regulatory structure right from the outset is essential. We are ready to assist.
As a full-service firm with a long-standing presence in Greenland through our cooperation with Arctic Law, Gorrissen Federspiel covers all legal aspects of Greenlandic investments – from initial structuring and regulatory approvals to dispute resolution and investment protection.
Our team includes lawyers with deep insight into international law, institutional and investment arbitration, FDI screening, EU funding programmes, energy, natural ressource and infrastructure projects, and complex regulatory disputes – all anchored in a deep commercial understanding of the Greenlandic market.
We follow our clients into Greenland and are ready to assist at every stage of the investment process. For a first conversation about your Greenland plans, please reach out to our team below.