According to the Home Rule Act matters concerning the foreign relations of the Faroe Islands are under the responsibility of the Foreign Ministry in Copenhagen. However, the Faroese Prime Minister´s Office plays a leading role in foreign affairs of special concern to the Faroe Islands.

The Faroese representatives outside Denmark are attached to the Danish foreign service. Representatives of the Faroese Government may undertake negotiations directly with foreign countries, provided that such negotiations are not considered incompatible with the interests of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Denmark's international treaty obligations do not automatically have territorial applications to the Faroe Islands. While the Faroe Islands are comprised by Denmark’s UN and NATO memberships, they are not automatically comprised by Denmark’s international treaty obligations in areas, which are touched upon by special Faroese affairs.

Denmark's membership of GATT from 1950 was only extended to the Faroe Islands in 1954 and Denmark's membership of EFTA 1959 - 72 covered only the Faroes from 1967.

When Denmark in 1973 joined the European Economic Community, EEC, now the European Union, EU, the Faroe Islands had the choice to remain outside. In 1992 an interim EEC trade arrangement dating back to 1974 was replaced by a formal agreement on trade between the Faroe Islands and the EEC.

It is a mutual free trade agreement of the type made by the EEC and the EFTA countries in the 1970s. However, for fisheries products, the main Faroese export article, the agreement contained several restrictions on the quantities of Faroese goods, which may enter the Community free of duty.

Most of these restrictions have been lifted by amendments, which came into force in 1999. In 1992-93 free trade agreements were concluded with EFTA member states.

In the domain of fishing, extension of fishing limits in the North Atlantic to 200 nautical miles in 1977 resulted in large maritime areas being placed under the management of the Faroese authorities. This fact led to an increased Faroese involvement in international fisheries affairs.

In international fisheries organisations embracing the North Atlantic, where the EU represents Denmark, the Kingdom of Denmark maintains a separate membership in respect of Faroe Islands (and Greenland).

As a rule, bilateral agreements concerning Faroese fishing rights inside the fishing zones of other nations and/or access of fishing vessels to the Faroese zone have been concluded by the Danish Government together with the Faroese Government. However in practice the annual quotas fixed under these agreements, are negotiated by the Faroese Government.

As far as maritime delimitation is concerned bilateral agreements have been concluded with Norway and UK respectively triggering off exploitation of potential Faroese hydrocarbon resources.

Contact addresses :

Prime Minister's Office - Department of Foreign Affairs

Løgmansskrivstovan

Uttanríkisdeildin  
Tinganes                                                                
PO Box 64

FO-110 Tórshavn

Faroe Islands

tel  +298 351010

fax  +298 311015

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Faroese Representations:

Representation of the Faroes in Copenhagen
Sendistova Føroya í Keypmannahavn

Strandgade 91, 4th floor

DK-1401 København K

Denmark

tel. +45 3283 3770

fax +45 3238 3775
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Representation of the Faroes in London
Sendistova Føroya í London

55 Sloan Street

London SW1X95R

Great Britain

tel. +44 (0) 20 7333 0227
fax +44 (0) 20 7333 6707
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Representation of the Faroes in Brussels
Sendistova Føroya í Evropasamveldinum

Rue d’Arlon 73

B-1040 Bruxelles

Belgium

tel. +32 (2) 2 33 0855
fax +32 (2) 2 33 0966
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