Faroese bids to join international bodies remain unresolved

Faroese agencies face obstacles in joining international organisations, Kringvarp Føroya (KVF) reported. Landsverk’s application to join the Nordic Committee for State Building has been considered but not decided.

The committee says applications that could set precedents or raise fundamental questions about membership requirements are examined carefully before a decision. The application is expected to return to the agenda of a directors’ meeting in May 2027, the Danish transport minister told Anna Falkenberg, a member of the Danish Parliament who asked about Landsverk’s membership bid.

The Faroese Maritime Authority has also been working to secure the Faroe Islands’ membership of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MoU). Its application was put to the organisation’s general meeting, where all 27 member countries must approve it. One country voted against.

The authority then held talks with that country, the Paris MoU and several Nordic countries to seek a solution. After lengthy discussions, the conclusion was that the organisation’s rules would need to be amended to allow the Faroe Islands to become an associate member.

In the summer, however, the Danish Maritime Authority said there was insufficient support to continue work on changing the rules, citing legal concerns. Work is now under way to give the Faroese authority access to the Paris MoU’s IT system, the right to attend its meetings and the opportunity to send staff to courses. The Ministry of Industry has informed the Finance Committee of these plans.

The Paris MoU is a European organisation of maritime administrations that inspects ships entering ports in Europe and countries bordering the North Atlantic.