Arctic indigenous peoples' organisations met the European Commission (EC) in Brussels on March 9th, as the EC had invited them to a Arctic Dialogue meeting. The Arctic Council member states were also present, as were other organisations and institutions focusing on indigenous peoples' issues in the Arctic and the Barents Euro-Arctic Region. In the EC's communication to the European Parliament and the Council (November 20th 2008), the EC proposes to engage Arctic indigenous peoples in a regular dialogue, and last Tuesday's meeting was the first step.

As the European Commission has an increased focus on the Arctic, the purpose of this meeting was to establish a dialogue between the EC and the indigenous peoples of the Arctic.