Recommendation 107

Alongside its membership of NATO, the UK co-operates closely with Nordic allies on defence through the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, the European Defence Policy Forum, and the Arctic Security Forces Roundtable. Box 2: UK participation in Arctic security groupings The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is a UK-led coalition of ten northern European countries. It provides a collective military capability, deterrent, and expeditionary force focused on security in the High North, North Atlantic, and Baltic Sea region. The Foundation Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 2015, and full operational capability was declared in 2018. The JEF is designed to complement NATO and other existing alliances. The UK acts as the principal decision-maker, with other member states deciding whether to contribute forces or otherwise participate in the activity or operation. The JEF member states are the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The European Defence Policy Forum , or Northern Group , comprises the JEF members plus Germany and Poland. It is a UK-led forum aimed at strengthening mutual understanding and co-operation among members on defence and security issues. The forum first convened in 2010 and meets every six months at Defence ministerial level. The Arctic Security Forces Roundtable (ASFR) is a regular meeting of defence representatives to discuss defence and security co-operation in the High North and Arctic. The members of the ASFR are Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Russia has not participated in the ASFR since its invasion of Crimea in 2014. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Looking North: the UK and the Arctic: The United Kingdom’s Arctic Policy Framework (February 2023): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/looking-north -the-uk-and-the-arctic [accessed 16 November 2023]